Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — An aide to the governor of a mahalla in Besharyk district, Ferghana region, was detained while receiving an iPhone 17 Pro Max from a local resident, the Department for Combating Economic Crimes said.
The department, which operates under Uzbekistan's Prosecutor General's Office, said the smartphone was handed over in exchange for a promise to help secure a loan of 150 million soums.
The aide intended to use his connections at a bank to facilitate the loan, the department said.
The district office of the department carried out the detention operation jointly with other law enforcement agencies.
A criminal case has been opened over the incident.
A day earlier, a deputy governor of Pakhtaabad district in Andijan region and an employee of the cadastral service were detained.
They are suspected of receiving US$30,000 through an intermediary, the State Security Service said.
The two had promised an entrepreneur they would secure a successful bid in an online auction for a 50-sotix plot of land at a below-market price, according to the service.
