It said that while checking a car in central Syrdarya Region, the NSS officers discovered large bags, according to their owners, containing "Chinese detergents". However, while examining these bags, the officers discovered "15 bags of opium, which were skilfully hidden in the detergents. The total weight of the opium was 26 kg", the report said.

A resident of Tajik Sughd Region, Rustam Rahmonqulov, and two residents of Syrdarya Region, Narzullo Qurdoshev and Nurbek Mirzoqulov, attempted to smuggle the drugs from Tajikistan into Kazakhstan and further to Russia, the report said.

A criminal case has been launched. An investigation is under way.