Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan uncovered more than 120 violations involving the illegal circulation of liquefied gas and seized more than 3,000 gas cylinders and 13,636 kg of liquefied gas during nationwide raids conducted from 19 to 21 October, the Ministry of Energy said.
In 39 cases, gas service employees were found to have been directly involved in the violations, the ministry said.
Officers from the State Security Service, the Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Emergency Situations Ministry and Uzenergoinspektsiya carried out inspections across the country to ensure that gas intended for households was distributed in accordance with the law.
More than 3,000 cylinders involved in illegal circulation, along with 13,636 kg of liquefied gas, were seized as material evidence during the operations.
In Jizzakh Region, inspectors identified nine cases of illegal storage of gas cylinders intended for resale, involving a total of 239 cylinders. In one case, a former head of the Zomin district gas supply branch had stored 152 cylinders at a relative’s home.
In Syrdarya Region, 30 undocumented cylinders were found at the home of an official from the Khavast district gas supply branch.
In Samarkand Region, a guard at a cylinder-filling station operated by the Urgut district gas supply branch was detained while selling three filled cylinders for 2.5 million soums. Separately, 22 filled cylinders were found at the home of a resident of Pastdargom district born in 1972. According to the ministry, he bought the cylinders from a driver employed by the district gas supply branch for 70,000 soums each and resold them for 100,000 soums each.
In Ferghana Region, an engineer and a mechanic employed by the Qoshtepa district gas supply branch illegally stored eight cylinders intended for household consumers at their homes for subsequent resale.
In Surkhandarya Region, authorities documented the illegal storage of 65 cylinders. A 39-year-old resident of Bandikhon district allegedly intended to resell 32 cylinders at inflated prices after buying them from a district gas supply branch driver for 70,000 soums each.
In Navoi Region, 26 cylinders were seized from the home of a driver employed by the Khatyrchi district gas supply branch. Similar violations were recorded in Karakalpakstan, Khorezm Region, Namangan Region and other parts of the country.
The Energy Ministry warned that illegally storing gas cylinders intended for household consumers, selling them in violation of established procedures and abusing official powers carry legal liability.
The ministry urged anyone with information about illegal liquefied gas sales to report it to the State Security Service hotline at 1520, Hududgazta’minot at 1104, or the Energy Ministry at +998 71 231-10-64. Reports can also be submitted through the Telegram bot @anticorenergetikauz_bot or by email to aniticor@minenergy.uz.
The ministry said reports would be reviewed in accordance with established procedures and that the confidentiality of those providing information was guaranteed.
