KULOB, June 30, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- A court in the city of Kulob has completed consideration of criminal proceedings instituted against six local residents and one resident of Shouroobod district.

The Kulob city court sentenced them to long prison terms on June 29.  The sentence followed their conviction on charges of drug trafficking.

Judge Aslam Kholov, who presided over the trial, told Asia-Plus that three of the defendants – Shamsiddin Boqiyev, Abdughaffor Sarakhonov and Komilkhon Davlatov – had previous convictions.

“The trial considered mainly four cases connected with acquisition, transportation and realization of totaling 11 kilograms of drugs,” the judge said.

According to him, Murtazo Roziqov from Shouroobod district had met with Afghan drug trafficker Mahmadullo on Tajik territory several times.

Shamsiddin Boqiyev was sentenced to 13½ years in prison, Abdughaffor Sarakhonov and Murtazo Roziqov get jail term of 10 years each, while the remaining four defendants were sentenced to between 8 and 9 years in prison.