On November 24, the Sabail District Court of Baku arrested Mansur Asgarov, the head of the Customs Tariffs Regulation and Payments Department of the State Customs Committee of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, for a period of 4 months. He is found guilty under Article 179.4 of the Criminal Code (employment or waste, when committed by causing significant damage).

The petition against Asgarov was submitted to the court by the investigator of the criminal case conducted by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan (SSS). Mansur Asgarov is accused of embezzling EUR 75.5 million of state funds as part of a group of persons who colluded in advance.

According to the indictment, officials of the State Customs Committee of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic have created an unofficial second collection system for goods imported without formalization, in addition to the general electronic system where state customs duties are formalized.

As previously reported by Caucasus Watch, on November 1, Azerbaijan’s Autonomous Republic of Nakhchivan abolished its State Security Service (SSS) structure. It will be replaced by the newly formed Nakhchivani branch of Azerbaijan’s State Security Service. Additionally, Mohshun Ashurov was appointed as the Head of the new organization. The cancellation of the State Security Service of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (AR) has caused rumors about Autonomous Republic's dissolution. According to the claims, a similar step will be taken with other institutions operating in Nakhchivan.