DUSHANBE, June 23, 2009, Asia-Plus — In January-May 2009, 5,516 crimes have been reported in Tajikistan, which is 4.7 percent more than in the same period of last year.
In the meantime, compared to January-May 2008 there was reduction in the number of reported serious crimes. In January-May 2008, serious crimes accounted for 20.99 percent of the overall number of crimes reported in the country, while over the first five months of this year, the serious crimes accounted for 20.92 percent of the reported crimes.
38 murders have been reported over the first five months of this year, which is 30.9 percent fewer than in the same period of last year.
Over the same five-month period, thefts have accounted for 49.9 percent of the overall number of the reported crimes. 1,704 cases of theft have been registered over the report period (a 2.2 percent increase compared to January-May 2008).
965 cases of fraud have been reported in Tajikistan over the report period, which is 23.7 percent more than in the same period of last year.
Compared to January-May 2008 there was a 6 percent increase in the number of reported crimes involving acquisition, storage, transportation, and use of drugs. 300 such crimes have been reported in the country over the first five months of this year. Police officers have seized 1,249 kilograms of narcotics over the report period. A totaled included 170 kilograms of heroin, 192 kilograms of raw opium and 887 kilograms of cannabis drugs.
According to the Ministry of Interior, each twentieth crime over the report period has been committed by minors.
The number of crimes committed by organized criminal gangs over the first five months has increased. Over the report period, 24 such crimes have been reported in the country in January-May this year.
The number of crimes using weapons during the report period decreased by more than 57 percent — from 33 reported cases in January-May 2008 to 19 reported cases over the first five months of this year. Over the report period, police officers have seized 618 firearms, including 108 assault rifles, 71 pistols and 96 unit of other rifled weapons.
