In Tajikistan, it is practically impossible to buy dollars in banks, and therefore, merchants engaged in delivering goods to the country are reportedly forced to apply to shraffs (money changers).
In a report released at the session of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper chamber of parliament) in Dushanbe, Tajik chief prosecutor Yusuf Rahmon noted on March 29 that the country’s law enforcement authorities last year shattered fifteen illegal currency exchange points.
According to him, inspection carried out by the law enforcement authorities has revealed 326 cases of violation of the country’s law on currency regulation and currency control.
104 criminal proceedings and 222 administrative proceedings have been instituted over the violation of the law on currency regulation and currency control, the chief prosecutor added.
Recall, the National Bank of Tajikistan (NBT) in December 2015 ordered the closure of all unauthorized currency exchange points in the country. After that, only banks were able to perform foreign exchange operations. Anybody found violating this arrangement could face jail terms of up to nine years.
Tajik central bank has ordered commercial banks to organize sale of the dollar owing to their own
Meanwhile, it is practically impossible to buy dollars in local banks, and therefore, merchants engaged in delivering goods to the country are reportedly forced to apply to shraffs (money changers).
“We realize that it is criminal offence to buy currency from shraffs, but we have no choice,” one of such merchants told Asia-Plus on the basis of anonymity.
“At the same time, shraffs replenish their currency reserves through their acquaintances working with the banks,” the merchant added. .
Current official selling rate (the selling rate is the rate at which money dealers sell foreign currency) of USD in Dushanbe amounts to 1:9.43, while the so-called “black” market selling rate now amounts to 1:9.8.
