According to the source, Surkhandarya customs officers with assistance from other law-enforcement bodies prevented an attempt of smuggling heroin to the republic.

"While inspecting a freight train from Afghanistan, the customs officers discovered about 2.5 kg of heroin wrapped in seven plastic bags and hidden on the underside of a tank," a representative from the press service said. According to him, the customs officers also detained an [suspected] Afghan drug courier with 10.5 kg of opium. "The [suspected] drug courier was detained when he was crossing the Amu Darya river. Some 10.5 kg of opium was found and seized from his rubber boat. Criminal cases have been opened, and investigation into the cases is under way," the press service representative said.

According to the Uzbek SCC, as a result of operations carried out by the customs bodies together with other law-enforcement bodies, 80 attempts of drug smuggling were prevented, and over 190 kg of hard drugs were seized during the past period of 2009.