DUSHANBE, February 1, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Police officers seized several firearms across the country yesterday, according to the Ministry of Interior (MoI).

The source at a MoI says the 82-year-old resident of Kulob, Abdullo Kamolov, faces charge of illegal storage of weapons.  The K-16 hunting gung, the F-8344 hunting knife and 10 bullets of the assault rifle Kalashnikov were found in his house on January 31.

On the same day, a disposable grenade launcher, Mukha, was found in reed bushes on the bank of the Vakhsh River in Bokhtar district, Khatlon province.

On January 31, the 28-yer-old resident of the northern city of Chkalovsk, Sh.N., voluntarily handed over a small-bore rifle, TOZ, to local police department, the source added.

Since the beginning of this year, 178 firearms have been seized or voluntarily handed over to police departments.  A totaled included 41 assault rifles Kalashnikov, 25 pistols, 23 grenade launchers, 25 rifles, etc.

In 2010, Tajik law enforcement authorities seized 866 unit of firearms, including 201 assault rifles, 130 pistols, 81 grenade launchers, 184 rifles of different caliber, 462 grenades and explosive devices, etc.