DUSHANBE, 16.06.2022 (NIAT Khovar) – Employees of the Department of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) revealed and prevented another case of drug smuggling in especially large quantities belonging to an organized criminal group of Tirchid settlement (the so-called UPD) of Khorug, reports today the Press Center of the Interdepartmental Staff for Security and Public Order in GBAO.

“On June 15, 2022, during the operational search activities and as a result of the testimony of the accused Gulobov Niyozsho Aslishoevich, born in 1982, the leader of the organized criminal group of the Bismich settlement of Khorug, a particularly large consignment of narcotic drugs «opium» belonging to Khursand Mirzokhayotovich Mazorov was seized. Mazorov, the former leader of the organized criminal group of Tirchid settlement, was neutralized on June 12 this year during a special operation in connection with armed resistance,” reads the message.

According to the conclusion of the forensic chemical examination, the seized substances are “Afghan opium”, in 200 packages placed in 8 plastic bags. The net weight of the seized substance is 200 kilograms.

According to the Press Center, the narcotic substances were delivered to Tajikistan by the leader of an organized criminal group of Khorug Khursand Mazorov from Afghanistan through the Navodak border settlement and were stored in a special cache for the purpose of sale and transportation. A large amount of narcotic substances was intended as a source of financing for the planned riots in Khorug, Rushon and for the acquisition of weapons and ammunition for the mass arming of the rioters.

“Preliminary mathematical calculations showed that 200 kg of opium amounted to 200,000 doses; if spread, it could cause serious mental and physical injury to the health of about 100,000 people,” the Press Center noted.

For this purpose, 10 days before the start of a special operation against the leaders of organized criminal groups, Khursand Mazorov took drugs from the cache and handed them over to Gulobov Niyozsho Aslishoevich.