MOSCOW, December 6. /TASS/. The police have confiscated about 16 tonnes of narcotic substances since the beginning of this year, including cannabis group drugs, first deputy head of the Main Directorate for Control over Drug Trafficking of the Russian Interior Ministry Kirill Smurnov told journalists.

"A total of 15.7 tonnes of banned and controlled substances were confiscated from illegal trafficking, including 10.2 tonnes of cannabis group drugs, 3.2 tonnes of synthetic drugs and 718 kg of opium drugs," he said.

Smurov noted that the total share of synthetic drugs has grown in Russia in five years due to the accessibility of ways to produce drugs of this group on the internet. "The internet is being monitored for banned information in order to counter the spread of propaganda and advertisement of drugs," the official said.