ROSTOV-ON-DON, August 4 (RIA Novosti) - Police in south Russia's Rostov Region, south Russia, have found 9 kilograms (19 lbs) of heroin hidden in a minivan carrying fruit, a local drug police spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The drugs were discovered hidden in packets inside an empty gas cylinder during a search of a GAZelle minivan. Police arrested two drug couriers, both Azerbaijani nationals, the spokesperson said.
"The drug couriers turned out to be a 51-year-old and 39-year-old from Azerbaijan," police said.
The drugs believed to have originated from Afghanistan had been packed into 30 blocks and are thought to be worth around 10 million rubles ($321,000).
A criminal case has been launched against the two men, who face up to 20 years imprisonment if found guilty of drug trafficking.