Six CIS states conduct joint anti-drug operation

Over 19,000 kg of drugs and raw materials for their production was confiscated in a joint operation of law-enforcement bodies and special services of the CIS member states. The operation titled "Channel 2003" was held from November 4th till 10th on the territory of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan that are members of the Collective Security Council.

The confiscated drugs include 116 kg of heroin, 168 kg of opium, 1.5 tons of marijuana, RIA Novosti learned at the Russian State Drug Control Committee. The operation disclosed 1,400 criminal groups involved in drug trafficking.

During the operation the police launched 1,113 criminal cases on drug trafficking and solved over 2,300 other criminal cases that had been under investigation, the Committee reported. They confiscated 236 items of firearms and over 10,000 items of ammunition.

According to head of the Committee's PR department Maya Ivanova, during the operation the participating parties achieved "a high level of interaction." During the operation the law-enforcement bodies took under control 899 railway junctions and stations, 2,057 motorways, 92 airports and 2 seaports.