Siberian customs officers close a Russia-Tajikistan heroin channel

In Siberia customs officers have closed a channel for smuggling heroin from Tajikistan into Russia.

In a joint operation, officers from the Russian customs house, Russia's Federal Security Service /FSB/, Russian and Tajik interior ministries inspected a railway freight car carrying farm products from Tajikistan to a station in the Novosibirsk region, the RIA Novosti correspondent quotes the State Customs Committee as saying. Over 18 tons of onions and dried fruits had to be unloaded from the car into to a warehouse. The heroin was found packed in 10 one-kilogram bags. Investigation is under way and a criminal case is to be initiated, said the Customs Committee.

It recalled that in June 2001 the Siberian customs house closed another channel of bringing heroin from Tajikistan. Then, 7 kilograms of heroin was seized.