Pubdate: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 Source: Times of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan) Copyright: 2001 The Times of Central Asia Section: Kyrgyzstan Contact: http://www.times.kg/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1202 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) COLONEL FROM KYRGYZ SECURITY MINISTRY SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN JAIL ON DRUG CHARGES BISHKEK. The Military Court of Bishkek has sentenced a former officer of the Kyrgyz security services to ten years in prison on drug charges. 750 grams of heroin and a weighing scale were found in the safe of National Security Ministry's Col. M. Kurbanov in 2000. The investigators found out that the colonel acted in cooperation with a group of drug traffickers. The group was also detained. Kurbanov said at the trial that he had to take up the drug business because of his financial problems. Now he will spend ten years in jail and his property will be confiscated. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager