Kyrgyzstan: Crime boss killed in shootout with police

Kolbaev (Kabar)

BISHKEK: Kamchybek Asanbekovich Kolbaev, the reported leader of a transnational criminal organization, was killed in a shootout with the police, the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan has said.

On April 23, 2008, Kolbaev was reportedly crowned a “thief-in-law” by organized crime leaders, signifying his recognition as a top Eurasian crime boss.

On June 1, 2011, US President Barak Obama designated Kolbaev as “a significant foreign narcotics trafficker under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.”

The act seeks to deny significant foreign narcotics traffickers, like Kolbaev, access to the U.S. financial system and to prohibit all trade and transactions between Kolbaev and his organization and U.S. companies and individuals.

The U.S. Department of State had offered a reward of $ 5 million for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction.

In its report, the State Committee for National Security said criminal cases are being investigated against active members of organized criminal groups and their leaders on the illegal seizure of property of entrepreneurs on a particularly large scale.

A pre-investigation check was also carried out on statements from citizens regarding Kolbaev regarding his involvement in organizing the murder of the leader of an opposing criminal group, Chyngyz Dzhumagulov, nicknamed Doo, it added.

“On October 4, 2023, during the arrest, Kolbaev offered armed resistance using firearms and ignored the legal demands of the State Committee for National Security officers,” the committee said, Kabar News Agency reported.

“As a result of the criminal actions of Kolbaev, who threatened the life and health of security officers with firearms, employees of the special forces returned fire to kill. Doctors have confirmed the death of Kolbaev on the spot from bullet wounds.”

The committee added there were no victims or injured among the security officers or civilians.