Members of drug-trafficking group broken up in Khatlon named

DUSHANBE, February 3, 2012, Asia-Plus – Names of those who were detained in the Qubodiyon district, Khatlon province for drug smuggling on January 10 have become known.

A source at one of the country’s power-wielding structures says they are Mahmadullo Majidov, the son of Major-General Habubullo Majidov, the chief of the special traffic police unit Vohidi Makhsous,” Khurshed Rahimov, the son of the driver of the Tajik Embassy in Moscow, and Ziyovuddin Sharipov, serviceman of one of border units deployed in Khatlon province.

The fourth member of this group is Nourullo Odinayev, the son of Hikmatullo Odinayev, the retired general who had headed the Special Property Committee in the late 1990s.  “Nourullo Odinayev managed to escape from the scene of action and he is currently wanted by police,” the source said.    

We will recall that two persons were reportedly detained in Khatlon’s Qubodiyon district for an attempt of smuggling 106 kilograms of hashish.  A special operation was carried out in the Qubodiyon district on January 10 but this fact has become known only on January 27 because the law enforcement authorities have concealed it.

It is to be noted that that several police officers were arrested in early January for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking.  Among them is Faridoun Umarov, the chief of anti-drug squad within the Farkhor police department.

Faridoun Umarov is the brother of the SCNS first deputy head Mansour Umarov and the nephew of Deputy Interior Minister Said Jurakhonov.

Also arrested were Major Zafar Mirzoyev, the chief of the department within the Interior Ministry directorate for combating drug trafficking (drug police), and Lieutenant-Colonel Tohirkhon Sherov, the chief of the drug control squad within the Dushanbe police directorate.