Uzbekistan has stopped an attempt to smuggle drugs from Afghanistan into the country, the State Security Service said.

The operation was carried out jointly by the State Security Service's officers and customs officials at the Ayritom border customs checkpoint in Surkhandarya Region, according to upl.uz.

During the operation, officers stopped and searched a Mercedes-Benz truck entering Uzbekistan from Afghanistan. The truck was declared empty, and it was being driven by a resident of Termez District, 41.

A search of the cargo compartment uncovered a hidden compartment containing packages of narcotics. In total, officers found 98 packages containing 39.09 kilograms of hashish and 9.5 kilograms of opium.

According to the State Security Service, the drugs had been concealed beneath the floor of the truck’s semi-trailer.

A criminal case has been opened under Part 2 of the “Smuggling” article of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code. The offense carries a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years.