Uzbek customs officers seize 20 kg of raw opium from Afghan citizen

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- An Afghan citizen with 20 kg of raw opium has been detained in Uzbekistan, the Uzbek State Customs Committee (SCC) said.

"Officers of the state customs control directorate (SCCD) in [southernmost] Surkhandarya Region (on border with Tajikistan and Afghanistan) jointly with representatives of other law-enforcement agencies have detained an Afghan citizen infiltrated into Uzbekistan with contraband cargo - 20 kg of raw opium," the SCC said.

The detainee confessed that he had trespassed the state border through the River Amu Darya on a rubber boat at night.

A criminal case has been launched. An investigation is under way.