DUSHANBE, August 11, 2012, Asia-Plus -- Prosecutors have asked Tajikistan''s Supreme Court to sentence a former senior official at the Presidential Drugs Control Agency to 22 years in jail for his alleged involvement in drugs smuggling, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports.

Ravshanbek Mirzoakhmadov, former Chief of the Operative Directorate at the Drugs Control Agency, has been charged with abuse of office, drug smuggling, and hiding and forging documents.

Mirzoakhmadov''s lawyer said the charges against her client had not been proven.

Mirzoakhmadov, whose trial began a week ago, is expected to deliver his final statement in the courtroom on August 13 when the court will set a date for the verdict.

Mirzoakhmadov was arrested in March along with several officials from the Interior Ministry and two other employees of the Presidential Drugs Control Agency.