Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Law enforcement authorities have uncovered multiple cases of illegal land sales in Bostanlyk district following an operation conducted by the State Security Service of Tashkent region in cooperation with the Department under the General Prosecutor’s Office.

Two residents of Bostanlyk, born in 1980 and 1988, were apprehended after receiving US$230,000 for facilitating the transfer of 20 acres of land to a buyer. The land had originally been allocated to two members of a horticultural and viticultural association for the construction of a summer house. Another individual, born in 1964, who posed as the landowner and also received US$230,000 for the transaction, was arrested as well.

In a separate case, a resident born in 1996 attempted to sell 36 acres of land, allocated by the district administration in 2008 for the development of a riverside docking area on the Chirchiq River, to a relative for US$150,000. He also demanded an additional US$10,000 to process the paperwork through his contacts in the cadastral service. He was caught red-handed receiving a total of US$160,000.

Another incident was recorded in Tashkent, where a citizen born in 1992 misled a buyer into purchasing 72.6 acres of land in Bostanlyk that legally belonged to eight individuals. He set the price at US$14,900 per acre, amounting to a total of US$1,081,740. Additionally, he demanded US$10,000 to reclassify the land for residential use and obtain a permit to construct an apartment complex through his influential connections. He was arrested during an operation conducted by the State Security Service, the Economic Crimes Department, and the police while receiving US$110,000.

Criminal cases have been initiated against all individuals involved, and investigations are ongoing.