Uzbekistan Seizes Afghan-Origin Drugs, Arrests Two Suspects
Uzbekistan’s security authorities said on Wednesday they had seized about five kilograms of narcotics originating from Afghanistan during an operation targeting drug trafficking.
Uzbekistan’s security authorities said on Wednesday they had seized about five kilograms of narcotics originating from Afghanistan during an operation targeting drug trafficking.
According to officials, the drugs were being transported in a vehicle that was stopped by security officers on the Bukhara–Karakul route. A 56-year-old man from the Karakul area and a 52-year-old foreign national were arrested on suspicion of trafficking.
Authorities said the suspects could face prison sentences of up to 20 years if convicted.
Investigators said the narcotics had been smuggled from Afghanistan and stored in a warehouse in Bukhara before being transported.
Uzbekistan’s National Security Service has previously reported large seizures of drugs linked to Afghanistan. In February, authorities said they confiscated 600 kilograms and 12 grams of narcotics valued at about $16.5 million. In that case, traffickers allegedly attempted to smuggle the drugs into Uzbekistan concealed inside bundles of brooms.
