DUSHANBE, January 8 (RIA Novosti) - Tajik border guards seized 916 kilograms of illegal drugs, including 110 kg of heroin, in 2008, which is almost twice the amount seized in 2007, a Tajik border guard department spokesman said Thursday.

Khushnud Rakhmatullayev said 481 kg of drugs, including 98 kilograms of heroin, were seized in 2007.

Rakhmatullayev said in 2008 the border guards engaged in 17 firefights with armed drug smugglers, killing 10 criminals, injuring 2 and detaining 21.

He added that 36 firearms, including 14 Kalashnikov assault rifles, 13 grenade launchers and 4,800 rounds of ammunition were seized in 79 special operations.