A forensic expert at the Tajik Ministry of Health was detained by customs officials at Dushanbe airport when she tried to smuggle 5.5 kilograms of heroin. The news agency quoted customs officer Colonel Dusti Sherkhonov as saying that the woman had stuffed the heroin into 52 lemons; her lack of luggage and the large quantity of lemons and vegetables caught the attention of the airport customs officials. Sherkhonov, who heads the customs control department for air transport, added that the number of attempts to smuggle drugs by air is increasing, with eight drug couriers carrying more than 10 kilos of heroin, including the latest haul, having been detained at Dushanbe airport since the beginning of 2003. Four of the couriers were attempting to transport drugs in their stomachs. Sherkhonov noted that 2.5 kilos of drugs were seized at the airport in 2002. (Asia-Plus Blitz)