The Dogan News Agency in Turkey reported that two high ranking Kadyrovites have been arrested in Turkey.

According to the information, on October 18, 36-year old Emruddin Edelgiriyev, deputy President of the pro-Russian Chechen government and Ramzan Kadyrov’s relative; and his 37-year old friend, Khasan Khakimov were trying to fly to the Russian occupied Chechen Republic of Ichkeria from the airport in the city of Antalya. However, officers from the Airport Customs Department and Anti-Smuggling Customs Enforcement Intelligence Directorate conducted a luggage search after a notification. During the examination of Edelgiriyev’s luggage, Turkish officers found 12kg and 376gram gold bar stamped with Russia’s tag from 2008 and the serial number, Kp119.

Emruddin Edelgiriyev could not produce any legal documents about the gold bar, but Khasan Khakimov claimed that he was the luggage’s owner and that the gold bar belongs to the pro-Russian Chechen regime. The high ranking Kadyrovites claimed that they brought it to Turkey for processing but found labor costs to be very expensive and decided to take it back to their country. Khakimov confessed that they entered Turkey with Edelgiriyev’s Russian diplomatic passport through Antalya Airport on October 7, without being subjected to customs procedures.

After the interrogation the Turkish authorities released Edelgiriyev and sent him back to Russia on a private plane because of his Russian diplomatic passport. Khakimov was taken into custody. The following day he was brought in front of the Antaly Lower Criminal Court Number 1, but the judge released him on an interlocutory action. However the trial will continue for both of the suspects.

The court confirmed that the gold bar was smuggled into Turkey illegaly and its value is about 1.2 million Turkish Liras (520,000 Euros). Authorities delivered the gold bar to the Central Bank.

In the mean time, Republican Prosecutor Ali Cam finished the indictment. He accuses Emruddin Edelgiriyev of being the number one suspect and Khasan Khakimov of being his aide. He demands that both defendants serve prison terms of 1 to 5 years and pay a judical fine.

Recall that Emruddi Edelgiriyev is in charge of Turkish operations for the pro-Russian regime in the Russian occupied Chechen Republic of Ichkeria and he often travels to Turkey.

*Text was written by Waynakh Online and edited by Michael Capobianco