Uzbek Customs Seize $155K in Undeclared Chinese Goods in Fergana

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbek customs officers have seized 16 tonnes of Chinese goods worth over 2 billion soums after discovering sweeping discrepancies between declared cargo manifests and actual shipment contents.

The operation, conducted by officers of the Kokand customs post in coordination with the anti-smuggling unit, targeted a shipment arriving from China consigned to a local Fergana-based company. The cargo had been submitted for standard free-circulation clearance.

According to declaration documents filed by the company, the consignment comprised 14 categories of goods with a combined weight of 25 tonnes. However, a physical inspection conducted in the presence of a company representative revealed the paperwork bore little resemblance to reality.

Customs authorities determined that a portion of the goods had not been declared at all, while other items had been registered under deliberately misleading product names — a common tactic used to circumvent tariff classifications or import restrictions.

The inspection ultimately uncovered approximately 16 tonnes of goods across seven distinct product categories, with a total assessed value exceeding 2 billion Uzbek soums — equivalent to roughly $155,000 USD.

All identified goods have been seized pending further proceedings. Authorities have opened a pre-investigative review, which may lead to criminal or administrative charges against the company involved.

The case underscores Uzbekistan's intensifying customs enforcement posture, particularly along the China–Uzbekistan trade corridor, which has seen a surge in import volumes in recent years as bilateral trade relations deepen.