Baku: The next trial of the criminal case initiated by the State Security Service (SSS) against Gahraman Mammadov, the chief assistant to the military attach© who was detained in Istanbul with 70 kilograms of gold, has been held, APA reports. Today, in the trial held at the Baku Military Court under the chairmanship of Judge Fikrat Aliyev, the public prosecutor announced the indictment. Later, the sequence of examination of evidence in the trial was determined. First, the accused will give a statement, then the witness will be interrogated and the documents will be examined. The next trial is scheduled for December 15.
According to Azeri-Press news agency, the Press Service of the State Security Service (SSS) stated that a criminal prosecution is being conducted concerning the involvement of citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan in smuggling activities between foreign countries in collusion with citizens of other nations. This is under a criminal case initiated by the State Security Service. During the investigation, reasonable suspicions were revealed that Lieutenant Colonel Mammadov Gahraman Shamil oglu, who worked as the chief assistant to the military attach© of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the United States of America, in collusion with another citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Gasimov Anar Ali oglu, and foreign citizens, attempted to smuggle gold bars from the United Arab Emirates to the Republic of Trkiye through the customs border.
Gahraman Mammadov, who held a diplomatic rank, arrived from the United States of America to the Republic of Trkiye on November 22, 2024. On the same day, he picked up a bag with gold bars brought to Trkiye from the United Arab Emirates by Anar Gasimov from a storage facility located outside the customs control of Istanbul International Airport. Using a diplomatic passport, which confirms the privileges and immunities intended for members of diplomatic staff, and his official powers, he carried gold bars across the customs border at this airport without declaring them.
Mammadov was detained by Turkish law enforcement officers while riding in a taxi towards one of the hotels in Istanbul to hand over these gold bars to Anar Gasimov. During the inspection of the bag, gold bars weighing 70 kilograms worth 10,391,970.08 manats were found and seized. As a result of the investigation, another bag with 14 kilograms of gold bars was found at the specified storage location at the airport. Anar Gasimov was detained and brought to criminal responsibility on suspicion of smuggling in Trkiye.
Gahraman Mammadov has been charged under Articles 12.1, 206.3.2, 12.1-1, 206.3.3 (smuggling committed outside the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan by a citizen of Azerbaijan, in collusion with a group of persons in advance, using official position) and Articles 12.1-1, 341.1 (abuse of official powers committed outside the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan by a citizen of Azerbaijan) of the Criminal Code, in connection with an ongoing criminal case at the State Security Service (SSS). The Baku Military Court has ordered his pre-trial detention as a preventive measure.