According to the ministry, law enforcement officers received information that cannabis-containing products were to be advertised and sold during a festival in the village of Tuura-Suu in the Suusamyr Valley. Samples of the products were seized and sent for forensic examination, which confirmed the presence of marijuana.

The three suspects were later arrested in Bishkek. The Interior Ministry opened a criminal case on charges of the illegal manufacture of narcotic drugs with intent to distribute. All three have been placed in a temporary detention facility.

During searches of the suspects’ homes, police seized cannabis oil, about 4 grams of marijuana and nearly 1.9 kilograms of cannabis seeds. Officers also found tea, flour, oil, a spray and vitamin capsules containing narcotic substances in one of the stores.