Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 6 March, customs authorities in the Yangikhayot district of Tashkent carried out an operation to destroy 132,180 packs of tobacco products seized from illegal circulation.

The event was organized by the State Customs Committee in cooperation with the Bureau of Compulsory Enforcement, with the participation of public representatives.

The confiscated cigarettes were seized as part of nine identified violations. In particular, officers from the specialized customs complex "Tashkent-AERO" intercepted 76,500 packs of Milano-brand cigarettes that had been smuggled into the country. It was established that a citizen, B.K., had been illegally storing the goods for further sale. A court sentenced him to seven years and one month in prison.

In line with Uzbekistan’s designation of 2024 as the "Year of Environmental Protection and the Green Economy," measures were taken to minimize environmental damage during the destruction of the smuggled products.

Before incineration, the paper packaging was separated from the tobacco and sent for recycling to businesses operating in this sector. The cigarettes themselves, along with polyethylene materials, were disposed of in specialized furnaces.