DUSHANBE, April 18, Asia-Plus  - Border guards have stopped an attempt of smuggling a large amount of heroin from Afghanistan, according to press service of the main border protection directorate within the State Committee for National Security (GKNB).

The press service said that border guards on a routine patrol spotted an armed person who was illegally crossing the border river in Khatlon’s Panj district on Thursday. 

When the border guards tried to detain the trespasser, he fired on them.  The border guards opened the reciprocal fire but the trespasser managed to flee.  A sack containing 30 kilograms of heroin was found at the scene of action, according to the press service.  

The same day, a joint operation by the border guards and security officers led to the detection of a cache in the Panj district.  Some 10 kilograms of heroin, 20 grenades RGD-5, seven magazines of sub-machine-gun Kalashnikov, three explosion cartridges, three signal pistols and large amount of bullets of different caliber were extracted from the hide.   Criminal proceedings have been instituted and an investigation is under way.  

In al, Tajik border guards have sized more than 366 kilograms of drugs, including some 84 kilograms of heroin, since the beginning of the year.