ASHGABAT (Chronicles of Turkmenistan) — After the arrest of foreign currency speculators the dollar exchange rate in Turkmenistan sees a slight decrease. The US dollar is currently exchanged at the rate of 14.4/15.4 manats at Ashgabat “black market” and 14.2/15 at Dashoguz.

In early July the dollar exchange rate in Ashgabat was recorded at 17.5 manats. In Dashoguz it fluctuated between 17.8 and 18.2 manats per $1.

On 9 July Radio Azatlyk reported that amidst the arrest of officials, the raids to fight selling merchandise for dollars and to combat illicit money trafficking have been held. “At the Chandybil market in Ashgabat and other places raids were carried out”, the source of the radio said on 7 July.

At Mir market and “Russian bazaar” vendors were forced to sign acknowledgement in two copies. One of them is kept in the administrative office of the market with the following wording:

If I sell merchandise for dollars I give my consent to be convicted of a criminal offence.

The vendors have also been warned that if they are detained for selling goods for dollars, their merchandise will be confiscated and their point of sale will be closed.

According to sources of Chronicles of Turkmenistan, foreign currency speculators in the provinces are also being persecuted.