Maritime drug trafficking: a special operation of two structures in the Caspian Sea stopped large-scale smuggling

As a result of operational search and investigative measures carried out jointly by the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the smuggling of a large shipment of drugs from the Islamic Republic of Iran through the Caspian Sea to the Republic of Azerbaijan was stopped, oxu.az reports with reference to information disseminated by the Prosecutor General’s Office and the State Border Service.

According to the joint statement, on June 24 at approximately 23:00, border guards noticed suspicious boats moving in the direction of the city of Sumgayit and the village of Yashma. Despite the demand to stop, the violators tried to escape by throwing the cargo overboard.

As a result of the chase, three Iranian citizens were detained – Nuri Abruntan (born 1983), Bahman Kaseb (born 1984) and Aunag Abdulrahim, who was injured during the arrest. At the same time, two citizens of Azerbaijan were arrested on the shore – Elkhan Aliyev (born 1982) and Esmira Mamedova (born 1976), who were supposed to meet the cargo on the coast of the village of Yashma. They signaled towards the sea with lanterns, standing in the water, which gave themselves away. During further operational search activities, about 165 kg of marijuana, packed in four bags of different colors, were discovered near the village of Novkhany. The drug was smuggled into Azerbaijan by the above-mentioned Iranian citizens.

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