DUSHANBE, July 21, 2016, Asia-Plus – A meeting of the Board of the Main Border Guard Directorate at the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) took place yesterday to review the results of work carried out in the first half of 2016 and discuss tasks for the second half of this year, Muhammad Ulughkhojayev, a spokesman for the Main Border Guard Directorate, told Asia-Plus today morning.

The first half of this year has reportedly seen 15 skirmishes between Tajik border guards and armed drug smugglers on the Tajik-Afghan border.  13 drug smugglers were detained, seven trespassers were killed and two others were wounded.

151 cases of violation of Tajikistan’s national border and 66 cases of violation of border regime have been reported over the same six-month period.  121 violators of border and 83 violators of border regime have been detained over the report period.

More than 695.732 kilograms of drugs have been intercepted by Tajik border guards over the first six months of this year.  A totaled included 11.054 kilograms of heroin, 91.448 kilograms of raw opium and 592.744 kilograms of cannabis.  Besides, Tajik border guards have destroyed 363,494 bushes of wild hemp over the report period.

In January-June 2016, Tajik border guards have seized 19 firearms, 415 bullets of different caliber and 297 kilograms of explosives, Ulughkhojayev said.