DUSHANBE, July 25, 2012, Asia-Plus – The trial of Colonel Ravshanbek Mirzoakhmetov, the chief of the operational search department within the Drug Control Agency (DCA) under the President of Tajikistan, began in the Supreme Court on July 24.

An official source at the Supreme Court says proceedings started with the reading of the indictment, which charges Mirzoakhmetov with misuse of official powers.  According to him, two civilians are being tried together with Colonel Mirzoakhmetov.

Mirzoakhmetov was reportedly detained by officers from the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) in early March this year.  “Criminal proceedings have been instituted over an operation on seizing a large consignment of narcotics,” said the source.  “The preliminary investigation has established that the operation was carried out with violation of law.”