Land fraud scheme foiled in Andijan Region

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Law enforcement authorities in Uzbekistan have uncovered an alleged scheme in the Andijan Region involving promises to secure a land plot from the state land reserve in exchange for money.

According to the investigation, the head of a banking services centre in the Marhamat District conspired with a machine operator from the Norin–Karadarya Basin Irrigation Systems Administration.

The suspects allegedly misled a citizen born in 1989 by claiming that documents had already been prepared to reclassify a 24-sotix plot from the Marhamat District hokimiyat's reserve into land designated for individual housing construction.

They allegedly promised to register the land in the citizen's name through their contacts among public officials and demanded US$39,000 for the arrangement.

During an operation conducted by officers of the State Security Service together with the Department for Combating Economic Crimes and the internal affairs authorities, the machine operator was caught while allegedly receiving an advance payment of US$25,000.

The money was seized as evidence.

A criminal case has been opened, and the investigation is ongoing.