DRUG TRAFFIC SURGES ON TAJIK-AFGHAN BORDER

Russian border guards have seized about 360 kilograms of drugs on the
Tajik-Afghan border in June alone. More than 320 kilograms of this
catch was heroin.

The press service of Russian border troops, which guard Tajikistan's
border with Afghanistan for years, was told on Wednesday that the
traffic in drugs increased more than twofold as compared to May.

Russian border guards had seven clashes with smugglers from
Afghanistan. One serviceman was wounded.

The border force arrested 20 drug-runners and aborted six bids to
cross into Tajikistan in June.

Fire was opened on border guards from Afghanistan 17 times during the
month.

Border guards have seized a total of 1,300 kilograms of drugs,
including an overwhelming 1,000 kilogrammes of heroin, since the
beginning of this year.