DUSHANBE, May 2, 2015, Asia-Plus – Four Tajik drug control officers have reportedly been detained by Kyrgyz border guards while preventing smuggling of 80 kilograms of mercury into the Tajik northern province of Sughd.
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 officers of the Drug Control Agency under the Resident of Tajikistan (DCA).
DCA representative has also confirmed this information.
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 Kara0Bak village carried out rally demanding immediate release of Kyrgyz nationals detained with 80 kilograms of mercury.
Negotiations with the Kyrgyz authorities on release of Tajik drug control officers are under way, the source noted.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan’s State Border Guard Service reports that seven Tajik nationals, including three DCA officers, and three Kyrgyz nationals were detained in the Kara-Bak area of Kyrgyzstan’s Batken district on April 30.
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.
