Wine bottles and packaged spices: Drug smuggling from Thailand to Uzbekistan was prevented

Customs officers have stopped the importation of more than 13 kilograms of narcotic substances from Thailand into Uzbekistan. A criminal case has been initiated over the incident.

 

 

The rapid-response units of the "Tashkent-Aero" specialized customs complex of the Customs Committee and the staff of the border customs post of "Tashkent International Airport," in cooperation with the State Security Service, conducted a rapid-response operation.

 

On September 5, during customs inspection of the luggage of a 51-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan who had flown in from Thailand, the substances inside three wine bottles and packaged spice containers aroused the officers' suspicion.

 

As a result of an examination conducted at the Central Customs Laboratory of the Customs Committee, it was determined that the dark brown, pungent-smelling substance in the bottles contained tetrahydrocannabinol. The substance was found to be a narcotic drug whose circulation is prohibited in Uzbekistan — "hashish oil." Its weight amounted to 7 kilograms 580 grams.

 

During the investigation, it was determined that, according to the instructions of a "curator" operating under the name "Absolyut" on Telegram, the citizen was supposed to import the narcotic substances into Uzbekistan for 1,800 dollars and deliver them to the city of Samarkand.

 

The rapid-response operation was continued in the city of Samarkand, and a 47-year-old citizen who was supposed to receive the narcotic substances was also detained. During a search of his place of residence, "hashish oil" placed in wine bottles, a dishwashing gel container, and syringes, as well as dried mushrooms that cause a state of intoxication when consumed, were discovered.

 

The total weight of these narcotic substances amounted to nearly 5.5 kilograms.

 

Thus, during the rapid-response operations, a total of 13 kilograms 80 grams of "hashish oil" was stopped from illegal circulation.

 

According to experts' estimates, this quantity of narcotic drugs would have been sufficient to involve nearly 200,000 people in drug addiction. It was noted that its value on the black market could exceed 1.7 million dollars by the time it reaches the final consumer.

 

A criminal case has been initiated by the customs authorities over the incident.