The fight against foreign currency speculators is still underway in Turkmenistan.
A few days ago inspections were carried out in the Ashgabat market “Chandybil” which sells household consumer electronics.
— The situation in the market inspected by the NSM staff was outrageous. Even original packages of electronics were opened. Vendors who had foreign currency were detained and the market was closed, — correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” report.
The owners of retail outlets were urged to write a statement explaining how their merchandise appeared in Turkmenistan and what money was used to have purchased it overseas.
— The log books listing debtors are also being looked into.Today every vendor in Turkmenistan has a log book where the names of customers and the amounts they owe for the goods bought on credit.
Under the conditions of the economic crisis residents buy almost all goods on credit food, household items, clothes, even expensive consumer electronics.If the amount of the debt is indicated in dollars, an explanatory statement needs to be submitted and a bribe needs to be paid so that a criminal case is not opened against you, — entrepreneurs said.
Inspections were also carried out in privately-owned stores selling groceries, cleaning products and cosmetics.The NSM staff check the debtors’ logbooks, examine store rooms and search the checkouts hoping to find foreign currency or banned merchandise cigarettes or alcoholic beverages.
Radio “Azatlyk” has previously reported on the inspections at Ashgabat markets.
Against the backdrop of what is going on in Turkmenistan, the dollar exchange rate, which currently amounts to 15 manats, continues to drop.
Let us recall that the inspections were launched after Chairperson of Turkmenistan’s State Economic Crime Enforcement Agency Maksat Khudaikuliev had briefed President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, in the course of the Cabinet session held on 5 July, on the arrest of individuals involved in illegal foreign currency transactions.