Man Detained in Bukhara for Selling Fake Banknotes on Telegram

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Law enforcement officers in the Bukhara region have detained a young man who organized an illegal scheme to generate income through the Telegram messaging application.

Using fake accounts, the individual posted advertisements in thematic groups offering high-quality copies of national banknotes with face values of 100,000 and 200,000 soums. The suspect convinced potential buyers that the counterfeits were produced so flawlessly that they could be used without issue to pay at retail outlets or deposited through self-service terminals and automated teller machines.

The individual requested 350,000 soums for one set of counterfeit 100,000-soum banknotes and 600,000 soums for a set of 200,000-soum banknotes. To increase trust, customers were also offered a prompt delivery service.

A resident of Bukhara became one of the victims of the scheme. After a brief exchange of messages, the seller insisted on full advance payment before shipping the goods. The unsuspecting buyer transferred 800,000 soums to the specified bank card, after which the seller immediately terminated communication and blocked the buyer. The investigation established that the detainee did not possess any counterfeit money, and the entire scheme relied purely on deception.

The identity of the suspect was established during operational and search activities. A criminal case has been initiated against him under the fraud article of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

During interrogation, the detainee fully admitted his guilt, described the scheme of blocking defrauded citizens in detail, and expressed deep remorse. The suspect stated his readiness to fully compensate for the material damage caused and urged other social media users not to repeat his mistakes.

Law enforcement agencies request all citizens who have suffered from the illegal actions of this individual to immediately report it via the emergency services number 112, guaranteeing full confidentiality to applicants. The agency also reminds the public that attempting to purchase counterfeit banknotes is itself a punishable offense that carries strict legal consequences.