DUSHANBE, July 25, Asia-Plus  -- Two residents of the Khatlon province have been arrested on suspicion of having burnt dead body of drug courier, Asia-Plus has learned from the Ministry of Interior (MoI).  

The source at a MoI said that on July 9, the 39-year-old Ravshan Khoushvaqtov, who was recently released from prison under an amnesty law (he was serving his 17-year jai term for drug trafficking), and Nourali Asrorov, the former officer of the State Committee for National Security, prepared 100 containers of heroin totaling 400 grams and Asrorov was supposed to internally smuggle them into Russia.  But several containers broke off in his stomach, and Asrorov died. 

“To cover up the traces Khoushvaqtov and his relative Rasoul Avliyoqulov, who was also released from prison last year under the amnesty law (he was serving his sentence for murder attempt), burnt Asrorov’s body,” the source said, adding that Khoushvaqtov and Avliyoqulov were detained on July 22.  

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against them and an investigation is under way.