Mirziyoyev Criticizes Law Enforcement’s Fight Against Organized Crime

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 27 January, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev sharply criticized the measures taken to combat organized crime, pointing out their insufficiency and low effectiveness.

According to the president, individuals traveling abroad are forming organized criminal groups, often causing harm to their fellow citizens. He emphasized that organized crime, which was previously predominantly street-level, is increasingly disguising itself as legitimate business and infiltrating profitable sectors of the economy.

Particular concern was raised over fraud in the purchase and sale of apartment buildings and vehicles, the organization of financial pyramids, and illegal activities related to the arrangement of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. In Tashkent alone, losses to citizens from real estate scams exceeded 1.3 trillion soums, affecting more than 3,000 people.

The president also noted that agencies responsible for promoting legal literacy among the population are not conducting systematic outreach, leaving citizens vulnerable to fraudulent schemes.

In response, Uzbek embassies in the UAE, Türkiye, the United States, and several other countries will establish positions for Ministry of Internal Affairs representatives tasked with coordinating with foreign law enforcement, ensuring the rule of law, and protecting citizens from being drawn into criminal networks.

Mirziyoyev instructed the creation of a unified system to combat organized crime across both cross-border and virtual spaces. Within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a specialized unit will be established to address organized criminal communities.

Special attention was given to the composition of criminal groups. Last year, among the members of organized communities detained in Tashkent, 259 individuals fell into the “serious” category, primarily young people and athletes. The president noted that many athletes are being drawn into street hooliganism, while underground fighting for monetary gain has increased in regional areas.

He ordered tighter control over this sector and the creation of professional training and employment programs for young martial arts practitioners, taking into account their skills and potential.

The president also pointed out that until recently, those responsible for combating organized and drug-related crime lacked resolve. He stated that the situation has changed following intervention by the Presidential Administration: over three months, about 50 major drug groups were dismantled. “Most alarming is that our citizens are engaging in extortion and violence even abroad,” Mirziyoyev emphasized.