Officers from the Surkhandarya regional NSS directorate, together with other law-enforcement agencies, have once again foiled quite a complicated plan of a criminal group.

On 25 February 2009, an Afghan national, Muhammadyosin Muhammadali ogli, who hoped to pass unnoticed at night, was detained.

The unwelcome guest crossed the border not with empty hands, but with a full sack. An examination showed that the sack was filled with over 25kg of raw opium.

The detained man said that a dire financial situation and unemployment made young Afghan people like him risk their lives, as well as many people including him had become addicted to drugs long ago. He also said his task was to take the drugs across the Amudarya river.