Uzbekistan’s Interior Ministry and State Security Service Shut Down Underground Laboratory for Potent Drugs

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Authorities in Tashkent have detained members of a major criminal group involved in distributing potent drugs through “stash” networks.

The joint operation was carried out on 22 October by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service.

During a vehicle inspection in the Uchtepa district, officers discovered over 350 packages of pregabalin and 25 units of tropicamide on two suspects. Both substances are classified as potent drugs and are commonly involved in illegal circulation.

Subsequent actions led to the arrest of two more group members. Investigators determined that the group had set up an underground laboratory in a residential house in the Yashnabad district, where they lived and manufactured the illegal drugs.

During the raid, authorities seized approximately 50 kilograms of pregabalin, 2 kilograms of tropicamide, ready-to-use doses, raw materials, thousands of bottles and capsules for packaging, and laboratory equipment.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any instances of illegal circulation of narcotics and potent drugs via the Telegram channel Stopnarkobot.