Nearly 12 kg of Hashish Seized in Uzbekistan Operations

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Officers of Uzbekistan's State Security Service, the Interior Ministry and the customs authorities have disrupted attempts to distribute a large shipment of narcotics illegally brought into the country from a neighbouring state during a joint multi-stage operation.

In Namangan, law enforcement officers stopped a Nexia passenger car. During an inspection conducted in the presence of witnesses, they found a package containing 944 grams of hashish in the possession of a passenger, a 1978-born man previously convicted of a drug-related offence.

A preliminary investigation found that the suspect had purchased the narcotics for US$9,900 from a 1982-born resident of Namangan suspected of involvement in illegal drug trafficking.

In subsequent operational measures, the alleged supplier was detained. Officers seized US$9,200 and 18.4 million soums from him, which were recognised as evidence in the criminal case.

At the next stage of the operation, law enforcement officers detained two residents of the Andijan region, born in 1987 and 1998, who were travelling in a Lacetti passenger car. A search of the vehicle uncovered and seized 9 kg 801 grams of hashish.

In a separate operation in the Tashkent region, officers of the regional State Security Service, together with representatives of the Interior Ministry and the customs authorities, detained a 1985-born resident of Bekabad while he was collecting 977 grams of hashish that had previously been left in a hidden drop by drug couriers.

In total, the two operations resulted in the seizure of 11 kg 722 grams of hashish.

Criminal cases have been opened in both incidents, and the investigation is ongoing.