Uzbekistan Security Forces Seize 38 Kg of Afghan Narcotics in Separate Operations
Uzbekistan’s State Security Service has announced the seizure of nearly 38 kilograms of narcotics smuggled from Afghanistan during separate operations. The majority of the haul was discovered in the Surkhandarya region along the border with Afghanistan, with several individuals arrested in connection with the case.
According to official information, in a joint operation by security forces and police in Surkhandarya, more than 37 kilograms of narcotics were confiscated, including 25.444 kilograms of opium and 11.086 kilograms of hashish. Authorities stated that these drugs had been brought into Uzbekistan from Afghan territory.
The State Security Service of Uzbekistan added that following the seizure, a controlled operation was launched to identify the final recipients in the city of Samarkand. As a result, two Uzbek citizens and two foreign nationals were arrested while receiving the narcotics.
In a simultaneous operation at the Termez International Trade Center, two Afghan citizens were detained on charges of attempting to sell 1.076 kilograms of opium valued at five thousand US dollars. According to security officials, preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects had concealed the drug packages inside their bodies by swallowing them for covert transportation.
Uzbekistani judicial authorities have stated that criminal cases have been opened against the accused under Articles 246 and 273 of the country’s Criminal Code, and temporary detention orders have been issued by the court for all suspects.
The Surkhandarya region is considered a sensitive border area between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, with similar drug seizure cases reported previously. Despite the Taliban’s declared commitments to combat drug cultivation and trafficking, the continued discovery of large shipments in neighboring countries highlights persistent concerns about ongoing trafficking networks and insufficient effective monitoring within Afghanistan.
