QURGHON TEPPA, November 11, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Since the beginning of this year, the Khatlon prosecutor’s office has instituted criminal proceedings against three Afghan nationals following applications by the Khatlon customs directorate, Abdunazar Qurbonov, the chief of the Khatlon customs directorate, said in an interview with Asia-Plus. 

According to him, the Afghan nationals were detained at the customs point Nizhny Panj at different times and totaling 8.058 kilograms of narcotic drugs were confiscated from them. 

Besides, another drug peddler, the citizen of Tajikistan, was detained at the Kulob airport.  Criminal proceedings have been instituted against him and an investigation is under way.  

Qurbonov further added that 460 instances of violation of the customs regulations had been recorded since the beginning of this year and the violators had been fined a total of 120,400 somoni.