DUSHANBE, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Tajikistan's border guards have foiled an armed drug smuggling attempt from Afghanistan and seized a large quantity of narcotics, Tajik authorities said Friday.
The incident took place at around 7:30 p.m. local time on Jan. 29 in the area under the responsibility of the Bahorak border outpost in Shamsiddin Shohin district, the press center of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan said in a statement.
Five Afghan smugglers illegally crossed the state border into Tajik territory, the statement said. The smugglers ignored border guards' demands to surrender, opened fire and attempted to retreat toward Afghanistan.
Border guards returned fire, neutralizing three smugglers at the scene, while the other two escaped under the cover of darkness, according to the statement.
A search of the scene uncovered three Kalashnikov assault rifles with magazines, ammunition, four sacks containing 73 packages of narcotics identified as hashish and opium, as well as a boat, said the statement.
It added that Tajik border authorities said the situation along the state border remains under control. A criminal case has been opened, and an investigation is underway. ■