Tashkent Authorities Seize Large Consignment of Illegal Goods

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan’s State Security Service and Customs Committee have uncovered a large consignment of goods allegedly illegally imported into the country, the State Security Service said.

A truck was found carrying cigarettes and other tobacco products, medicines, medical devices, mobile phones and other goods whose details did not correspond to the transit declaration and accompanying documents.

The truck, which came from Bukhara Region and had previously attracted the attention of law enforcement authorities, was inspected at a customs warehouse in Tashkent’s Chilanzar district.

The inspection uncovered 2,500 medical devices, 13,800 packages of medicines and 880 biologically active supplements. The truck also contained 273,400 packs of cigarettes and other tobacco products, 3,100 electronic cigarettes, about 8,600 mobile phones, 19 tablets and 52 items of perfume.

Law enforcement officers also found more than 72,500 units of construction tools and equipment. Their actual quantity and specifications did not correspond to the information provided in the accompanying documents.

According to the State Security Service, the truck owner and two Tashkent residents imported the goods from a neighboring country using forged customs documents.

A criminal case has been opened against the three individuals under Part 2 of Article 182 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code, concerning violations of customs legislation on an especially large scale.

The article carries a maximum sentence of up to eight years in prison.

Investigative proceedings are ongoing.