Drug smugglers detained

According to AzerTAg, investigation revealed that citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who introduced themselves as Safar, Mammadali and Behnam, as well as resident of Astara region of Azerbaijan Ayaz Zakir Aliyev, 32, and residents of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan Abbasali Adil Bayramov, 43 Elsever Musa Mustafayev, 42 and Mirheydar Mirtagi Tagiyev, 37, had illegally purchased a large amount of drugs, and smuggled it to Azerbaijan.

The investigation has found out that when visiting Iran, Ayaz Aliyev made a criminal deal with local Safar, Mammadali and Behnam that the large amount of drugs acquired by him in Iran will be smuggled to Azerbaijan and further to Russia to be sold in St. Petersburg.

At the same time, Mirheydar Tagiyev and Abbasali Bayramov also ordered Safar and Mammadali to get large amount of drugs and deliver it to Azerbaijan.

On May 2, 2006 in the Iranian area called Aslanbuz, Safar and Mammadali handed more than 18 kg of hashish and 150 g of heroin to Elsever Mustafayev, who used his personal vehicle to transport fuel from Baku to Nakhchivan, for him to smuggle the drugs to Azerbaijan. Having hided the drugs inside his MAZ's trailer, the latter on May 4 went through the Bilasuvar customs, and brought them to the village of Yenikend of Salyan region.

A criminal case on the fact was opened in accordance with articles 206.4 (Smuggling of narcotics by an organized group), 234.4.1and 234.4.3 (Illegal acquisition, keeping for sale, transportation, forwarding or sale of a large amount of narcotics by an organized group) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Court has decided on applying arrest as preventive punishment against them.

Investigation to scrutinize the details of the case, and operations to find other related suspects are in progress.