The Tashkent’s Mirabad district criminal court on, at a meeting on March 19, issued a ruling against Salim Abduvaliev, aka Salimbay (Salim the Richman), the press service of the Tashkent city courts said.

Salim Abduvaliev was found guilty Illegal trafficking in firearms, ammunition, main parts of firearms, explosives, explosives or explosive devices, committed repeatedly or by a dangerous repeat offender charge and was sentenced to 6 years in prison in a general colony.

While, the court found him not guilty of smuggling) due to the expiration of the timelines for criminal prosecution; this part of the criminal case was terminated without resolving the issue of guilt.

Salim Abduvaliev was arrested in December last year. This happened as part of major crackdown on crime groups throughout Uzbekistan.

First, he was charged of illegal trafficking in firearms. Then the case was reclassified to the same actions committed repeatedly or by a dangerous repeat offender. According to the code, a person who voluntarily surrenders the items provided for in this article shall be relieved of liability.

Salim Abduvaliev, 73, retired, with no criminal record, had served the deputy chairman of the National Olympic Committee and the head of the Wrestling Association since January 2017. His name and photograph are still listed on the NOC website.

For his contribution to sports he was awarded the Dustlik (Friendship) Order in 2015 and he was awarded the Honored Coach title in 2021.

A statement from the capital's courts says that those who disagree with the court's decision may file a complaint or protest in the city court.