Drug control policemen have been shot at, beaten and mugged in Siberia's Buryatia region by local residents angry at an inspection, officials said.
Three officers of Russia's Federal Drug Control Service were on a routine monitoring visit to the village of Podlopatki on August 18 when a local resident "began to offer resistance during a search and called on his friends for help," regional investigators said in a press release.
"Several agressive young men came to his rescue. The officers got in their car and attempted to leave the village without entering into conflict."
But in the ensuing chase the locals shot out the tires of the vehicle.
"Then, after blocking it at the roadside, the young men beat the officers and stole money, mobile phones and IDs from them," the statement said.
An investigation is underway.
