Heroin seized on Afghan-Tajik border

Russian troops say they have seized a large quantity of heroin from drug smugglers on the frontier between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

A Russian army spokesman said a group of five armed smugglers had opened fire on soldiers when they tried to arrest them.

After the exchange of fire, the group fled, leaving behind more than 22 kilograms of heroin and a large sum of money.

The Russian authorities say they have seized about 80 kilograms of the drug on the Afghan-Tajik border this month.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service