Mamazundun Shamiev, director of the Kyrgyz Customs Inspection\'s department for combating contraband, told the Russian daily \"Kommersant\" on 23 January that on 20 January Kyrgyz customs inspectors shut down all the Bishkek stores belonging to Russia\'s Evroset, a chain of stores selling cell phones and accessories. Evroset, which operates over 3,000 stores and did more than $2.5 billion worth of business in 2005, recently opened five stores in the Kyrgyz capital. Shamiev told \"Kommersant\" that Evroset\'s Bishkek stores have $340,000 worth of contraband merchandise in stock. Evroset chairman Evgenii Chichvarkin told the newspaper that no formal charges have been filed against the company, and he suggested Kyrgyz officials may hope \"to get something from a big Russian company.\" Analysts queried by the newspaper said that Evroset may need to minimize political risks by acquiring a local partner; they noted the difficulties Russia\'s Mobile TeleSystems is having with its acquisition of Kyrgyzstan\'s Bitel. \"Kommersant\" reported that Evroset\'s stores had reopened on 22 January with a limited assortment of goods. (RFE/RL)