In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Director of the Drug Control Agency under the President of Tajikistan (DCA), Habibullo Vohidzoda, revealed on August 5 that 2,578.145 kilograms of narcotic drugs have been seized in Tajikistan over the first six months of this year, which is 52 percent or 892.5 kilograms more than in the same period last year. 

Tajik drug control kingpin notes that increase in drug trafficking in the country has resulted from increasing trafficking of drugs out of neighboring Afghanistan. 

“After coming to power in Afghanistan, the Taliban stated that they intend to ban the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan, the world's biggest opium producer, as well as toughen punishment for drug trafficking.  But in reality, this is not visible,” DCA chief said.  

Recall, the Taliban in April announced a ban on the cultivation of narcotics in Afghanistan.  All Afghans were reportedly informed that cultivation of poppy has been strictly prohibited across the country.  “If anyone violates the decree, the crop will be destroyed immediately and the violator will be treated according to the Sharia law," an order from the Taliban's supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, announced at a news conference by the Ministry of Interior in Kabul, said, according to CNN. 

Meanwhile, more than 3,000 kilograms of Afghan drugs have reportedly been seized in Tajikistan since August last year, when the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan.   

For the whole of 2020, little more than 1,000 Afghan narcotic drugs were seized in Tajikistan.