Prosecutors have detained a group of smugglers who attempted to smuggle a large consignment of gold and foreign currency out of Tajikistan.  

Seven persons, including three customs officers, have been detained for an attempt to smuggle 90 kilograms of gold and 15 million U.S. dollars out of Tajikistan to Dubai, Rahmonali Rahimzoda, the chief of the Smuggling Prevention Department at the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan, told reporters in Dushanbe on February 18. 

According to him, an inspection of passengers on the Dushanbe-Dubai flight found 90 kilograms of gold and 15 million U.S. in late November last year.  

“The smugglers brought the gold and foreign currency to Tajikistan from Afghanistan and were going to smuggle them into Dubai,” Customs official said, noting seven persons, including three customs officers, had been detained on suspicion of being involved in that gold and currency smuggling case.  

The Prosecutor-General’s Office has instituted criminal proceedings and an investigation is under way.  

Rahimzoda refrained from giving further details of this case.