Bekabad Resident Attempted to Smuggle Large Sum of Currency to Tajikistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In Tashkent Region, officers from the State Security Service and customs authorities prevented an attempt to illegally transport a large amount of currency abroad to the Republic of Tajikistan.

The operation took place in the city of Bekabad. According to investigators, a local resident born in 1991 planned to smuggle 18.68 million Russian rubles, 140,700 Tajik somoni, and 180 million Uzbek soums across the border.

To disguise the transfer, he divided the funds among 34 individuals who agreed, for a fee, to act as couriers. All were detained at the Farhad border-customs checkpoint.

During further inspection of a Tracker vehicle belonging to the scheme’s organizer and parked nearby, authorities discovered and confiscated additional sums: 13.54 million Russian rubles, 24,100 Tajik somoni, 885 euros, 300 US dollars, 300 Chinese yuan, 6,840 Kyrgyz soms, and 10.2 million Uzbek soums. All money had been packaged in separate bundles for transport to Tajikistan.

The total value of the confiscated funds exceeded 5.2 billion soums in national currency equivalent.

A criminal case has been initiated against the Bekabad resident under Clause “a” of Part Two of Article 182 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan — “Illegal Transfer of Currency Values Across the Customs Border.” The suspect is in custody.

Investigators are working to identify all involved parties and the true owners of the seized currency.