In the first half of 2024, law enforcement agencies in Tajikistan confiscated more than 3 tons of drugs, Asiaplus.tj reports.
According to the Drug Control Agency under the President of Tajikistan (DCA), the volume of seized narcotic substances increased by 25% compared to the same period last year.
In total, 3 tons, 96 kg, and 616 grams of drugs were seized in the first half of 2024, which is 619 kg more than in the first six months of 2023.
According to the DCA director, Zafar Samad, the main source of drugs entering Tajikistan is neighboring Afghanistan. Most of the drugs were found in the Khatlon region, especially in areas bordering Afghanistan, where smuggling is particularly active.
Samad also noted that there are no drug production laboratories in Tajikistan, and all products come from abroad, predominantly from Afghanistan.
Despite UN claims about a reduction in opium production in Afghanistan after the Taliban came to power, the DCA of Tajikistan notes that opium-based drugs continue to enter the country.
Additionally, synthetic drug production, such as methamphetamine, is actively developing in Afghanistan, posing a threat to the entire Central Asian region.
Earlier, it was reported that in the first half of 2024, more than 500 Tajik nationals were arrested in Russia on charges of drug trafficking. It was emphasized that Russia remains the main region where Tajik nationals are prosecuted for drug-related crimes, despite a slight decrease in the overall number of arrests compared to 2023.
Of the 528 Tajik nationals detained abroad, 502 were arrested in Russia, 23 in Uzbekistan, and 3 in Kazakhstan. In total, 96 kg of drugs were confiscated from the detainees.
At the same time, there has been an increase in the number of foreigners arrested for drug smuggling and trafficking in Tajikistan itself. In the first half of 2024, 10 people were detained, compared to 5 in 2023. Among the detainees are citizens of Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
July 30, 2024