U.S. deeply concerned by release of transnational organized crime boss Kolbaev

AKIPRESS.COM - The United States is deeply concerned by the release of transnational organized crime boss Kamchybek Kolbaev, a convicted murderer whose criminal network engages in drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms trafficking and other dangerous criminal activity, the U.S. Embassy in Bishkek said in a statement issued on March 3.
"Kamchybek Kolbaev's drug trafficking network poisons children across Central Asia, Russia, and Europe, which is why the U.S. Department of State has offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the disruption of his criminal network," declared U.S. Ambassador Donald Lu.
In a recent meeting with the leadership of the State Committee for National Security, Ambassador Lu repeated the U.S. commitment to support the efforts of Kyrgyz law enforcement to investigate and prosecute Kolbaev. He also conveyed Washington's intention to increase the award offered for the disruption of Kolbaev's criminal network, and to create an improved mechanism to allow Kyrgyz citizens to collect this reward in order to assist the Kyrgyz government to rid the country of the threat posed by Kolbaev's crime syndicate, the Embassy said.
Kolbaev was released from custody after being imposed a travel ban in accordance with the Bishkek city court ruling of March 2.
Kolbaev was detained in October 2020 on suspicion of organizing a criminal group.