BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. Authorities
have released the names of individuals detained in connection with
cigarette smuggling in Azerbaijan, Trend reports via the Press Service of the
Prosecutor General’s Office.
According to the press service, an investigation revealed that
several officials and employees of the Baku Hovsan International
Trade Sea Port and members of a criminal group were allegedly
involved in smuggling tobacco products without excise stamps from
the United Arab Emirates and Iran, valued at over 5.4 million manat
($3.1 million), into the country.
Those implicated include the de facto head of BHITSP, Ruslan
Eyyubov, its CEO Rashad Dashdamirov, Port Service Chief Zaur
Hashimov, Port Brigadier Farrukh Hagverdiyev, Head of the Customs
Post Farid Usubov, inspectors Heydar Eyvazli, Tamerlan Akhundzadeh,
and Tahir Tahiri, as well as other individuals involved in
transporting and storing tobacco products, including Elchin
Rustamov, Fariz Maharramov, Firuz Aliyev, Amil Jabrayilov, Alasgar
İsmayılov, and Rovshan Tarverdiyev.
The suspects face charges under the Criminal Code of the
Republic of Azerbaijan for organized smuggling of large quantities,
repeated possession of excise-marked goods without stamps, and
abuse of office resulting in serious consequences.
Based on initial evidence, the court ordered the detention of
several suspects, including Ruslan Eyyubov, Rashad Dashdamirov,
Farid Usubov, Heydar Eyvazlı, Tamerlan Akhundzade, Zaur Hashimov,
Farruz Hagverdiyev, and Fariz Maharramov. Firuz Aliyev was placed
under a non-custodial measure, while others who fled the country
have been subject to international arrest warrants.
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