The U.S. Embassy provided technical means and vehicles to the Tajik Drug Control Agency under the President of Tajikistan, the Agency told the AP.

The official handover ceremony was held today, April 12th, in which Director of the Agency, Lieutenant General Rustam Nazarov and U.S. Ambassador Ken Gross took part.

Nazarov thanked the U.S. Embassy for technical support it provides and outlined effective counter drug cooperation between the Drug Control Agency and U.S. Embassy.

“The U.S. and Tajik Drug Control Agency have established effective counter drug cooperation which is based on the Tajik-US intergovernmental Agreement signed on January 27, 2003, and Memorandum between DCA and the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control,” Nazarov has said.

He stressed that the donated equipment will raise capacities of drug control services.

Ambassador Ken Gross outlined positive directions of cooperation between the U.S. Embassy and DCA, stressing that the U.S. Government will provide further assistance to Tajik law enforcement structures, including DCA.

The sides expressed their hope for further strengthening of counter drug cooperation and more effective cooperation at regional level.