Two Uzbek citizens working illegally as truck drivers have been detained in the US

In the US state of New Jersey, officers from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained two citizens of Uzbekistan who were in the country illegally but held commercial driver's licenses to operate heavy trucks.

The arrests were made as part of a large-scale nationwide campaign to identify fraud and violations in the issuance of commercial driver's licenses.

According to the agency, 37-year-old Zokhid Zakhidov was detained on August 23 in Woodbridge, and 30-year-old Khayrullo Payzullaev was detained in Hamilton. Both are currently in ICE custody awaiting deportation.

According to the US agency, Zakhidov held a commercial learner's permit issued in New York. On May 15, he was convicted of driving under the influence. In addition, he faces charges of assault with intent to cause bodily injury and stalking.

The second detainee, Payzullaev, held an out-of-state commercial driver's license from Pennsylvania. On July 21, a US Department of Justice immigration judge ordered his detention.

ICE stated that these arrests are part of a nationwide campaign by the US Department of Homeland Security to combat fraud and the illegal acquisition of commercial driver's licenses.

Earlier, a charter flight arrived in Tashkent with 27 deported citizens of Uzbekistan who had violated the migration laws of Sweden and Poland.