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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