Tajik border guards have warded off an attempt by Afghan drug traffickers to smuggle a large amount of narcotic drug into Tajikistan, according to the public relations center of Tajikistan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS). 

Tajik border guard on a routine patrol reportedly spotted two Afghan drug traffickers who were illegally crossing the border river in the area patrolled by the “Chubek” frontier post in the Hamadoni district of Khatlon province in late Saturday (June 13).

When the Tajik border guards tried to detain the trespassers, the latter opened fire on them.  The border guards reportedly fired back at the trespassers.  As a result of the skirmish, one of the trespassers was killed while another managed to return to Afghan territory despite being wounded.  

The killed trespasser was identified as Afghan national Haji Abdukhaliq waladi Mohammadsadiq, who is according to the SCNS public relations center was a leader of one of the groups of Afghan drug traffickers.

Kalashnikov assault rifle with 38 bullets and a package containing 10 wraps of narcotic drug were reportedly found on the spot.  Criminal investigation has been instituted and an investigation is under way.