State Customs Committee with Support of BLO officers of "Ayritom" Border Check Point Detained a Criminal Group Engaged in Drug Trafficking

21 December 2019, Tashkent, Uzbekistan - The State Customs Committee with the support of BLO officers of  the "Ayritom" Border Check Point (BCP) conducted a multi-stage search operation which resulted in dismantling a criminal group engaged in drug trafficking using mules hiding drugs inside body cavities in an effort to transport 5-kilogram 739 grams of heroin.

In Tashkent International Airport, four foreign citizens were proceeding along the green channel while their strange behavior gave rise to the suspicion of Customs officers. It was decided to check the suspicious passengers though body X-ray security scanner which revealed presence of foreign items inside men's abdomens. To clarify the situation, foreign citizens were taken to the Republican Scientific Center of Emergency Medical Assistance where they were examined in the presence of witnesses.

The examination found 268 capsules with hard white substance in the internals of all four passengers, specifically in the colon weighting 4-kilogram 152,52 grams of heroin.

Later, Customs officers of Tashkent International Airport detained one more passenger who was going to travel to the foreign country. After examination of passenger's internals, 35 capsules with 544,45 grams of heroin were found. Later, his partner in crime, a foreign citizen who delivered him drugs was arrested.

During the operation conducted by the State Customs Committee with the support of BLO officers of "Ayitom" Border Check Point (BCP) on the Uzbek-Afghan border, one more drug courier was detained. As a result of examination of the internal organs of drug courier, it was detected that there are 67 capsules containing 1 kilogram and 42 grams of heroin.

As a result of multi-stage operation, conducted with the support of BLO officers of "Ayritom" BCP, the State Customs Committee totally detained 7 drug couriers who attempted to transport 5 kilograms 739 grams of heroin in their bodies in transit through the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

With regard to all these cases, the State Customs Committee institutes criminal proceeding in accordance with legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

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