Crime Correspondent: Russia

Operation Typhoon in Alma-Ata, Chimkent, Karaganda, and Petropavlovsk

Secret services of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Russia neutralized a vast international drug cartel that specialized in heroin and opium trafficking to Central Asia and Russia.<br /><br />Herman Didenko (of the International Division of the Department of Economic Security of the Kazakh National Security Committee) said at a press conference on February 14 that the cartel had been organized by one Mahmudhojayev of Turkmenistan. Drugs were mostly shipped by two routes: Chimkent-Taraz-Karaganda-Astana-Petropavlovsk and Chimkent-Taraz-Taldykorgan-Ust-Kamenogorsk.Eight special operations against traffickers were carried out within the framework of Operation Typhoon in Alma-Ata, Chimkent, Karaganda, and Petropavlovsk between May 2007 and February 2008. The heroin confiscated in their course totalled almost 100 kilograms."Information obtained in these operations allowed for the final phase, namely arrest of the leader. Mahmudhojayev and his five accomplices were arrested in Tashkent on January 17. Searches produced heroin (over ten kilograms)," Didenko said.<br />According to Didenko, Operation Typhoon run on the territories of Kazakhstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan resulted in confiscation of over 800 kg heroin and 100 kg opium, 24 investigations, and 42 arrests.