Afghan national has been detained with counterfeit somoni banknotes in the Darvoz district of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).

Afghan national Shoizzat waladi Sirojiddin was reportedly detained by Tajik security officers at the cross-border market “Ruzvai” last Saturday while trying to pay for Tajik goods by counterfeit somoni banknotes.

Eleven counterfeit 100-moni banknotes were reportedly confiscated from him.

“Shoizzat waladi Sirojiddin said that he knew that the banknotes are counterfeit.  According him, he bought the counterfeit banknotes from his neighbor and he was going to pay by them for food products in Tajikistan,” an official source at the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) told Asia-Plus in an interview.

The cross-border markets play a significant role for dwellers of both sides of the border.  There are three cross-border markets in the territory of Gorno Badakhshan -- “Ishkashim”, “Tem” and “Ruzvai.”  The cross-border markets “Ishkashim” and “Tem” are currently closed because of tension in Afghanistan and an only the cross-border market “Ruzvai” operates on Saturdays.  

Meanwhile, it is not the first time that an Afghan national is detained with counterfeit somoni banknotes in Tajikistan.  Afghan national Javid Abdul Vakil was detained with counterfeit somoni banknotes at the border crossing point (BCP) “Panji Poyon” in Khatlon province on August 6, 2016.  Ten counterfeit 100-somoni banknotes have reportedly been confiscated from him.