The smuggling of 510 kilograms of narcotics into Azerbaijan via the Caspian Sea has been prevented.
The State Border Service provided information on this matter.
It was reported that as a result of measures carried out in the Caspian Sea, members of an organized criminal group attempting to smuggle a particularly large quantity of narcotics from Iran to Azerbaijan were detained.
According to the information, an unknown target was detected in the Caspian Sea as a result of the coordinated efforts of the Coast Guard's coastal control units and technical observation posts. To apprehend the detected target, border vessels guarding the state border initiated a pursuit operation, and coastal control units implemented urgent measures to seal off the coastline.
As a result of operational-military measures carried out in Azerbaijan's territorial waters and coastal area, warning shots were fired in accordance with the requirements of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan "On the State Border" to stop the floating craft, forcing it to dock on the shore in the Khachmaz district area of the Caspian Sea.
During the initial interrogation, the detained individuals were identified as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran – Atajani Tahir Khaled, born in 1979, Makhtumi Sadiq Arazgurban, born in 1987, and Gangerme Omid Chalje, born in 1989.
Upon examining the memory of a "Garmin" brand GPS device found on the border violators, it was determined that they had traveled a distance of 1074 km from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, passing through the territorial waters of the Republic of Turkmenistan, to enter the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
As a result of search operations carried out along the trajectory of the detained "Layner" type floating craft and at the scene, a total of 509 kg 800 grams of narcotics were discovered and seized.
As a continuation of the operational measures, four Azerbaijani citizens were detained as suspects in a "Niva" brand vehicle at the scene.
Joint investigative-operational measures are ongoing with the Prosecutor General's Office regarding the incident.