Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Officers of the Border Troops of Uzbekistan’s State Security Service (SSS), in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, have prevented multiple attempts at drug trafficking, seizing more than 22 kilograms of illegal substances in recent days.

In Denov district of Surkhandarya region, a Cobalt vehicle was stopped for inspection. During the search, conducted in the presence of witnesses, 9 kilograms of hashish were found on a passenger — a local man born in 1987 with a prior criminal record. Investigations revealed the drugs had been smuggled from Tajikistan for domestic distribution.

In the Fergana region, SSS, police, and customs officers detained two men (born in 1994 and 1988) transporting nearly 6 kilograms of hashish in a car. A third suspect, born in 1997, was apprehended while attempting to buy drugs at a price of 89 million soums per kilogram. Authorities later arrested the alleged organizer of the cross-border smuggling operation — a repeat offender from Sokh district, born in 1987, who had coordinated shipments from Kyrgyzstan.

In Namangan, a resident of Fergana district (born in 1992 and previously convicted) was caught trying to sell 3.95 kilograms of hashish for US$38,000. His accomplice, born in 2000, was also detained. A search of the suspect’s house led to the discovery of an additional 868 grams of hashish, smuggled from Kyrgyzstan.

In Altinsay district of Surkhandarya, SSS officers from Karakalpakstan and Surkhandarya, along with police, arrested two men — a local born in 1969 and his partner from Denov born in 1986 — as they attempted to sell nearly 2 kilograms of opium smuggled from Tajikistan for 200 million soums.

A similar incident was recorded in Syrdarya region, where two previously convicted individuals — one from Fergana (born in 1988) and another from Andijan (born in 1969) — were caught trying to sell 943 grams of opium brought in illegally from Tajikistan.

In total, authorities seized 22 kilograms and 585 grams of narcotics. Criminal cases have been initiated against all suspects, who have been placed in pre-trial detention. Investigations are ongoing.