DUSHANBE, February 11, Asia-Plus -- According to information received from Russia’s Ministry оf Interior, Tajik nationals committed 7,569 crimes in the territory of the Russian Federation last year, Haidar Mahmadiyev, the chief of staff o the Tajik Ministry of Interior (MoI), told Asia-Plus today. 

According to him, Tajik nationals accounted to 0.2 percent of  a total number of crimes registered in Russia in 2007.     

“The majority of crimes committed by Tajik citizens in Russia last year related to preparation of counterfeit registration forms,” said the MoI official, “3,435 such crimes were reportedly committed by Tajik nationals in Russia last year, which is more than 45.3 percent of the total number of crimes committed by Tajiks in the Russian Federation last year.” 

“Besides, 2,146 Tajik citizens were deported last year for failing to register within three days of their arrival in Russia; in all, 96,631 such cases were registered in 2007,” Mahmadiyev said.   

Last year, Tajiks reportedly committed 1,283 property crimes, including 694 thefts, 271 robberies, 145 cases of banditry and 51 cases of fraud.  

The share of drug-trafficking crimes also remains high – 12.3 percent.  “970 drug-trafficking crimes were committed by Tajiks in Russia last year,” Mahmadiyev said.  

In the meantime, 81 crimes, including 4 murders, nine thefts and 33 drug-trafficking crimes, were committed by foreign citizens in Tajikistan.  Of them, 12 crimes were committed by the Russian citizens.