DUSHANBE. Feb 26 (Interfax) - The Tajik police held four operations against drug smugglers and seized 26 kilos of narcotics over the past 24 hours, the Tajik Interior Ministry reported on Tuesday.
Two operations were held in Dushanbe, one in the southern city of Shuroabad and one in the northern city of Isfara. Four suspects were apprehended.
"The police seized 24 kilograms of hashish and two kilos of cannabis drugs (marijuana and its derivatives)," the report said.
One of detainees was identified as "a hardened criminal wanted for a long time," it said.
"Criminal cases were opened under Article 200.4 of the Tajik Criminal Code - illegal turnover of large amounts of narcotics or psychotropic substances with the distribution purposes," the ministry said.
If found guilty, the suspects may be sentenced from twelve to 20 years in jail.
Tajik police seized 5,978 kilograms of narcotics last year or 41.1% more than the year before.
Tajikistan is a leg of the Afghan drugs transit route to Russia, Eastern and Western Europe.