DUSHANBE, November 18, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- A group of persons have been detained in Dushanbe on suspicion of having robbed Chinese nationals working in Tajikistan, according to the Ministry of Interior (MoI).

Among them are Abdullo Kholmurodov, Timour Akhatov, Mirzovali Salimov, Bakhtiyor Saidov and Stanislav Novikov.  “The detainees, except Novikov, have previous convictions,” the source at a MoI said.

The investigation has established that on November 16, they burst into apartment of Chinese national Wan Bin, director of brickworks in the Sharora settlement, Hissar district.  “They beat him and his wife, demanding money,” said the source, “however, they received nothing and escaped.”

On September 12 this year, the same persons burst into apartment of Chinese national Chin Lu Sao Bin, who is working with the brickworks in Sharora.  They seized US$750 dollars and escaped.

On October 22 this year, they burst into apartment of Chinese national Abdurahman Abdugaffar, who runs a shop at the Dushanbe-Shanghai market.  The criminals beat him and seized US$200, 120 somoni and a mobile phone.

Criminal proceedings have been instituted against the detained criminals and an investigation is under way.