ALMATY (Interfax-Kazakhstan) — A criminal court in Almaty held a preliminary hearing on Friday in a criminal case against a transnational criminal organization, which included ex-Kyrgyz MP Damirbek Asylbek uulu, the city department press office told.

Preliminary hearing of the case against former parliament deputy Damirbek Asylbek uulu, who was detained during a special operation at Kazakhstan’s customs, began in Almaty. Damirbek Asylbek uulu is charged with economic smuggling as part of a transnational criminal organization.

Ulanbek Muradilov, Damirbek Asylbek uulu and Emilbek Kochorbaev were detained in Kazakhstan on February 15-16. Asylbek uulu Damirbek, who has Kazakh citizenship, is considered as the head of smugglers. In April, the Central Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan deprived him of his deputy seat.

Damirbek Asylbek uulu is charged under part 1 of article 264 — Creation and management of a transnational organized group, transnational criminal organization, as well as participation in them and part 3 of article 234 — Economic smuggling of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.