Ramzan Kadyrov threatens to evict family members of drug dealers from Chechnya

During raids, Chechen law enforcers detained at least 700 people on suspicion of selling and using drugs. Later, on September 28, they were brought to the centre of Grozny, where Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov threatened to expel them from Chechnya together with their family members. According to local residents, the number of the detainees also included people, who at the time of the raid could accidentally appear close to the suspects.

The audience was announced that the detainees were given the last chance to correct their behaviour and that otherwise they would face prosecution.

"We will not let those who sell marijuana, pills, and drugs, no matter they are men or women, ... to stay in our republic... If we do not expel those people from our republic, the number of young people who use drugs will increase dramatically," said Ramzan Kadyrov.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has been told by residents of Grozny that the police detained all the people without any distinction.

"At night, several young men were taken out of the house entrance. People say that they were smoking marijuana or taking some kind of pills. My nephew appeared to be among the detainees, when he just stopped to talk to one of his acquaintances. We have managed to get him out of the police station only thanks to my former classmate, working for the police. Otherwise, my nephew would be registered as a drug addict," said Islam, a resident of Grozny.

According to the man, he does not oppose the fight against drug addiction and drug trafficking. "However... I do not like the fact that in the pursuit of the result, the police take everyone they can and then call them anasha and pill addicts," said Islam.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.