Large haul of contraband mercury seized in Tajikistan

In Tajikistan, two smugglers were detained while attempting to sell more than 81 kilograms of mercury, reported the Interior Ministry of the republic.

The men were detained in the country's north in the town of Isfara, not far from the Tajik-Kyrghyz border.

As testified by the detained, the strategic raw material was purchased by them in Kyrghyzstan from unknown persons for subsequent resale to one of the clandestine firms making household thermometers.

It was stressed at the ministry that over the past few years this was the largest shipment of contraband mercury seized and now they are trying to find out how such a large quantity of the poisonous substance was smuggled across the Kyrghyz-Tajik border.

All in all, since the beginning of the year, Tajikistan's law enforcement bodies have confiscated more than 100 kilograms of mercury in the country.