Tajikistan foils cross-border drug smuggling attempt

DUSHANBE, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Tajikistan's State Committee for National Security said Friday that it had foiled an attempt to smuggle a large consignment of narcotics across the state border, killing two suspects while a third escaped.

According to the committee, three Afghan nationals illegally crossed the border at around 00:50 local time on April 17 and entered Tajik territory in the Farkhor district of the Khatlon region. During subsequent joint operations, security and border forces tracked the suspects' movements and took measures to detain them.

The suspects ignored lawful orders from border personnel to surrender and offered armed resistance, the committee said. In the ensuing exchange of fire, two were killed and one fled back across the border.

Authorities seized two Kalashnikov rifles, a hunting rifle, two magazines containing 35 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, and two sacks containing 25 packages of narcotics at the scene. A forensic examination confirmed the substance was hashish, with a total weight of about 25 kg.

A criminal case has been opened and an investigation is underway. ■