22:00, 7 April 2007

Ingushetian residents, detained by North-Ossetian militia, are suspected of smuggling gold

On March 29, at the exit check point of the city of Nazran, Ingush militiamen stopped a group of "UBOP" (Unit to Fight Organized Crime) workers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of North Ossetia who tried to take out their two detainees from the territory of Ingushetia to Vladikavkaz.

The power agents were returning home after a special mission in the territory of Ingushetia, in the course of which they detained two local residents - Aludin Malsagov and Bagaudin Tochiev. In the words of Ossetian militiamen, the detainees were suspected of illegal sale of smuggled gold.

The "GAI" (Road Police) officers refused to pass the column through. Nevertheless, one of the cars with one of the detainees (according to some sources, it was Mr. Malsagov) managed to break through the check point and make its way to Vladikavkaz. The others were delivered to the MIA headquarters for investigation.

The incident that threatened to grow into a scandal was resolved on that very evening. The power agents were released, and Mr. Tochiev, according to some data, was transferred to North Ossetia.

Author: Timur Khamkhoyev, CK correspondent