DUSHANBE , June 8, Asia-Plus -- “I assume that the number of illegally realized cellular phones in Tajikistan is much higher that the number of cellular phones officially certified,” Khurshed Rajabmahmadov, the deputy head of the Communications Regulatory Agency (CRA) at the Ministry of Communications, said.  

According to him, 3,000 cellular has been registered and certified with the CRA since August 2005.   

Mr. Rajabmahmadov says that earlier realization of cellular phones had been controlled by means of registration of shops selling them.  “Now no agency in the country has such powers,” the CRA official said.  “Our Agency has had the right of registering the shops dealing with sale of cellular phones till this year,” said Rajabmahmadov, “Two years ago we knew exactly that 25 shops selling the cellular phone operated in Dushanbe .  But following applications of sellers the antimonopoly commission gave a ruling stripping us of this right, and after that a number of “grey” cellular phones in the country has increased.” 

“To fight somehow illegal sale of cellular phones our Agency in cooperation with the Ministry of State Revenues and Tax Collections makes raids in Dushanbe to reveal illegal product,” said Mr. Rajabmahmadov, “Raids made this year in two districts of Dushanbe alone have revealed five cases of illegal sale of cellular phones.”

According to him, infringers have been ordered to certify and register their products.

Tajik authorities established the Communications regulatory Agency to oversee licensing and regulatory issues.