Article 234.4.3 (Illegal acquisition or possession for the purpose of sale, manufacture, production, processing, transportation, transfer, or sale of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances in large quantities) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

On January 30, 2023, the Nasimi District Court of Baku sentenced Azad Karimov to four months' imprisonment in a pretrial detention facility during the preliminary investigation. His pretrial detention during the investigation was subsequently extended several times.