A merchant running shop at Dushanbe’s Korvon bazaar has been detained for illegal trade in edged weapons.

Interior Ministry’s official press center says a 44-year-old Zafar Chillayev, who runs a shop at Dushanbe’s Korvon bazaar, has been detained for illegal trade in edged weapons and sentenced to five days of administrative arrest.  

During a police operation, dubbed “Knife”, conducted by police in Dushanbe, a large number of knives of different brands, which are used as edged weapons, has been discovered in his shop.  

A protocol on an administrative offense has been drawn up against Chillayev and a court in Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district has sentenced him to five days of administrative arrest. 

Recall, a raid conducted by Dushanbe police on June 30 led to confiscation of knives and electric shockers were confiscated from three young men and two teens.

According to data from the Dushanbe Police Directorate, 16 knives and one electric shocker were confiscated from the 24-year-old Amir Muzaffarov, running shop at Dushanbe’s Varzob bazaar, and seven knives and three electric shockers were confiscated from the 30-year-old Alisher Alimbayev, who runs shop at Dushanbe’s Ganjina bazaar.

Reports have been filed against the merchants and sent for further consideration to a court, the Dushanbe Police Directorate says.  

Besides, the 29-year-old Nemat Qayumov, who had previously been convicted of theft (Article 244 of Tajikistan’s Penal Code), was detained during the operation for illegal carrying of edged weapons.  A knife was confiscated from him.  

As it had been reported earlier, 36 people, including 17 minors, were detained during Operation “Knife” in Dushanbe from September 21 to September 26 last year for illegally carrying edged weapons.  A total of 26 knives, 6 brass knuckles and 4 clubs were confiscated from them.

Six of the detainees were sentenced by the court from 7 to 10 days of administrative arrest, while parents of the minors were fined 180 somonis each.

Operation "Knife" has been carried out in Tajikistan since 2019 to identify and remove from the population, especially from young people, cold weapons: knives, brass knuckles, stun guns, bits, etc.