Tajikistan Seizes 58 Kilograms of Drugs Smuggled from Afghanistan

Tajikistan's State Committee for National Security announced the seizure of 58 kilograms of drugs smuggled from Afghanistan in the Shamsiddin Shahin border region. The drugs included 30 kilograms of opium, 19 kilograms of hashish and 9 kilograms of heroin, according to the committee.

Two Tajik citizens, Ghulamali Sabirov and Sifullahi, both men aged 57 and 55, were arrested in connection with the case. Officials stated the drugs were brought across the official border by Afghan smugglers. The suspects intended to transport the consignment to Dushanbe and then to other countries via partners.

Sifullahi told investigators he retrieved the drugs from a cache left by Afghan smugglers, hid them in his vehicle, but was apprehended by security forces about an hour later. The pair face charges of illegal drug trafficking, smuggling and illegal border crossing, punishable by up to 20 years in prison under Tajik law.

Tajik border forces recently detained an Afghan smuggler carrying 46 packets of drugs in the same area. The head of Tajikistan's anti-narcotics agency reported that approximately 2 tons and 742 kilograms of drugs were seized at the Afghan border last year, marking a nearly 50% increase compared to 2024.

Last year also saw over 2.7 tons of drugs intercepted, amid 17 armed clashes between Tajik forces and Afghan smugglers, in which 10 Afghans and two Tajik border guards were killed, officials said.