Russian border guards seized more than a ton of narcotics on Tajik-Afghan border in December

In December 2002, Russian border guards seized around 1,376 kg of narcotics on Tajik-Afghan border. It's 17 times more than the amount of narcotics seized in December of 2001.

According to information from the Russian Frontier Service's (FPS) press service in Dushanbe, the largest shipment of narcotics weighing approximately 842 kg was seized as a result of a special operation conducted by border guards from the Moscow Frontier detachment. More than 300 soldiers and some ground support aircraft took part in the operation.

During December, border patrols apprehended 11 trespassers and stopped 9 attempts of illegal border crossing.

During the same month, border guards discovered 7 caches with ammunition and seized around 60 rockets, more than 1,240 grenade launcher rounds, almost 297 fuses and powder-charge igniters, and more than 420 various mines.

Sources in the press service stressed that the combat duties of Russian border guards in Tajikistan received high praise from the high-ranking officials in the Russian Federal Frontier Service. According to the decision made by the FPS collegium, the Russian Frontier Guards Group in Tajikistan has been named the best among others for a second year in a row.