A large shipment of illegal cigarettes and telephones was discovered in Tashkent.

A significant amount of contraband cigarettes and mobile phones was discovered in Tashkent.

State Security Service (SSS) and Customs Committee officers in Tashkent uncovered a large shipment of goods illegally imported into the country. Among the items discovered were packs of cigarettes, other tobacco products, mobile phones, and other goods not listed in the transit declaration and accompanying documents.

A truck arriving from the Bukhara region, which had previously raised suspicions among law enforcement agencies, was inspected at a customs warehouse located in the Chilanzar district of the capital. During the inspection, 2,500 medical devices, 13,800 packages of medications, 880 units of dietary supplements, 273,400 packs of cigarettes and tobacco products, 3,100 e-cigarettes, approximately 8,600 mobile phones, 19 tablets, and 52 units of perfume were found inside. In addition, law enforcement officers discovered more than 72,500 units of construction tools and equipment, the actual quantity and specifications of which did not match the data stated in the documents. According to the State Security Service, the truck owner, acting together with two Tashkent residents, imported these products from a neighboring country using forged customs documents.

A criminal case has been opened against the three individuals involved in this incident under Part 2 of Article 182 of the Criminal Code ("Violation of customs legislation on an especially large scale"). This offense carries a potential penalty of up to eight years in prison. The investigation is ongoing.

Previously, State Security Service officers stopped three cases of illegal drug trafficking in the Bukhara region and Karakalpakstan. As a result of these operations, more than 70,000 units of medications, as well as thousands of labels and barcodes, were seized.