STAVROPOL. Oct 28 (Interfax-AVN) - Reconnaissance and combat groups of the Argun detachment subordinate to the North Caucasus regional border guard department found two caches with arms and ammo on Sunday.
"The first cache located 2km from the Tazbichi village contained 20 82mm mines, and the other cache an AK-74 assault rifle, a magazine with cartridges, two VOG-25 grenades and foreign- made binoculars," the department's press service reported.
Border guards on other sections of the Russian-Azerbaijani border detained several people, who attempted to illegally cross the frontier in both directions.
"Over the weekend, the situation in the department's area of responsibility remained complicated though no conflict situations were registered by border guard units. The main attention was still paid to the Chechen and adjacent straps of the Russian-Georgian border. Active reconnaissance and combat operations took place to prevent guerillas from approaching the border area. The snow is over 100cm thick on several passes of the Main Caucasus Range. But most of the passes are free and demand control," the press service said.
In spring and summer this year, the department's border guards detained over 450 border violators and over 1,000 border regime violators, including 26 suspected rebels. Border guards seized over 70 pieces of firearms and cold arms, over 16,600 ammunition pieces of various caliber, 174.7kg of explosives and over 2.9kg of drugs.
Together with officials of the Russian State Customs Committee, border guards confiscated from the violators smuggled goods worth over RUB1.44bn (USD45.6m). Over 2.5 million people and more than 289,400 of vehicles crossed the border during that period of time.