QURHGON TEPPA, January 23, 2013, Asia-Plus  - Shodibek Sultonov, chief of the drug squad at the Qurghon Teppa police department, has been arrested for extortion.

Jamshed Sangov, head of the anticorruption agency’ office in Khatlon, says Sultonov was arrested in November, 2012.

“Sultonov faces charges of exceeding authorities,” said Sangov.  “The preliminary investigation has established that Sultonov together with two other police officers and one civilian detained three labor migrants last November, accused them of theft and extorted 350,000 euros from them for not instituting criminal proceedings against them.”

Sultonov’s three accomplices are reportedly now wanted by police.  An investigation is under way.

18 cases of misuse of powers by police officers were registered in Khatlon province last year.