Pubdate: Wed, 21 Aug 2002 Source: Star, The (Malaysia) Copyright: 2002 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. Contact: http://www.thestar.com.my Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/922 RAKHMONOV CRACKS DOWN ON DRUGS WITH EXILE WARNING DUSHANBE: Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov stepped up his country's losing battle against drugs on Monday, threatening to exile entire villages if one resident was found participating in the country's flourishing drug trade. "From now on, even if just one resident from a border village is involved in drug trafficking, the entire village will take responsibility," Rakhmonov said, adding that all village residents "will be moved to other regions in the country." Military officials have said that around 1,000 Tajiks living on the country's southern border with Afghanistan are suspected of involvement in drug trafficking. The former Soviet republic has become a favoured point of passage for drugs from Afghanistan, sharing a 1,200km border with the world's biggest producer of opium and heroin by far.- AFP - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens