Uzbekistan intercepts synthetic drug smuggling attempt

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Customs officers at Tashkent International Airport have foiled an attempt to illegally import synthetic narcotic substances disguised as dietary supplements for athletes, the customs service said.

According to the agency, a citizen of a neighboring country was passing through the “green” corridor when his luggage drew the attention of inspectors. Inside the bag were two boxes declared as sports supplements.

Labeling indicated that each package should contain 760 white capsules. However, inspection revealed a total of 920 capsules, while their actual colors—yellow and red—suggested possible substitution and manual repackaging.

An examination conducted by the Central Customs Laboratory of the Customs Committee confirmed that the capsules contained a synthetic narcotic substance identified as Alpha-PVP.

Specialists estimate that the seized substances could be worth up to US$350,000 on the black market.

Further оперативные measures carried out by units of the specialized customs complex “Tashkent AERO” led to the discovery of a location in the Yukorichirchik district where the suspect had previously hidden additional narcotics intended for distribution through so-called “dead drops.”

During an inspection of a hard-to-access area, conducted in the presence of witnesses, officers uncovered a buried polyethylene package. It contained fragments of a substance believed to be hashish with a total weight of about 0.5 kilograms.

A criminal case has been initiated, and investigative actions are ongoing.