DUSHANBE, July 22, 2008, Asia-Plus — To strengthen fight against drug trafficking and discover drug channels and routes a mobile operational unit has been formed at the Interior Ministry directorate for combating drug trafficking (drug police).
The new unit has been formed under support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The unit, headed by Captain Jamshed Nazarov, has been operational since November 2007.
According to him, UNODC has provided the unit with special equipment, vehicles, uniform and computers. Besides, to raise professionalism of the unit officers UNODC has organized regular training seminars with enlisting the services of skilled specialists and experts, Nazarov said.
Since last November, the unit has seized 219.922 kilograms of narcotics. The totaled included 80.99 kilograms of hashish, 102.31 kilograms of raw opium and 7.61 kilograms of heroin. During the same period, the unit officers have detained 15 drug traffickers, including 11 Tajik and 4 Afghan nationals.
“In the future, the unit will strengthen the fight against illicit drug trafficking in border areas,” the unit chief said.
