DUSHANBE, May 4, 2014, Asia-Plus – The Drug Control Agency under the president of Tajikistan (DCA) says that four Tajik drug control officers, who were detained by Kyrgyz border guards in a neutral zone along the Tajik-Kyrgyz border on April 30, were released on the same day.
A statement released by the Tajik counternarcotics agency says that officers from the DCA’s office in the northern province of Sughd on April 30 detained four Kyrgyz nationals who were attempting to smuggle mercury into Tajikistan. Six containers of mercury weighing 30 kilograms each were confiscated from them. The net weight of mercury was reportedly 179.8 kilograms.
According to the statement, the confiscated mercury was produced at the Khaidarkan mercury plant in Kyrgyzstan.
By mutual agreement the case materials were reportedly handed over to the National Security Committee of Kyrgyzstan.
We will recall that Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, Radio Ozodi, on May 1 quoted a source at the Main Department of Border Guards under the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) of Tajikistan as saying on May 1 that the Kyrgyz authorities detained four DCA officers.
The DCA officers reportedly detained four Kyrgyz nationals with 80 kilograms of mercury in the evening of April 30.
“When investigators came to the site of violation of border in Lakkon Jamoat of Isfara bordering the Kyrgyz village of Kara-Bak, Kyrgyz border guards detained them,” the source said.
According to him, residents of the Kara-Bak village carried out rally demanding the immediate release of Kyrgyz nationals detained with 80 kilograms of mercury.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan’s State Border Guard Service reports that seven Tajik nationals, including three DCA officers, and three Kyrgyz nationals were detained on April 30 in the Kara-Bak area of Kyrgyzstan’s Batken district.
Nine Tajik nationals reportedly crossed into Kyrgyz territory illegally and tried to make an illegal deal on buying 180 kilograms of mercury. Two Tajik nationals fled the scene, taking two Kyrgyz nationals and the mercury with them, the Kyrgyz State Border Guard Service said, noting that Kyrgyz border guards detained seven Tajik nationals and three Kyrgyz nationals.
