Man attempting to smuggle a watch worth 1.5 billion sums was caught (video)

A person attempting to smuggle a watch valued at 1.5 billion sums through Tashkent International Airport has been apprehended. This incident was reported by the "Tashkent AERO" Specialized Customs Complex.

On August 24, at 2:40 a.m., a citizen of Uzbekistan arriving from Dubai was subjected to a routine inspection by border customs officers at Tashkent International Airport, named after Islam Karimov. During the inspection, an attempt to smuggle a gold watch valued at 1.5 billion sums was uncovered.

From the individual's handbag, customs officers discovered a Patek Philippe Geneve wristwatch, crafted from yellow metal and adorned with colored stones. The watch, valued at 1 billion 540 million 260 thousand sums, had not been declared as required by customs regulations, and its import exceeded the legal limit for individuals.

An investigation into the incident is currently ongoing.

For reference, individuals are permitted to export finished silver jewelry weighing up to 200 grams, as well as gold and other precious metals weighing up to 65 grams, from Uzbekistan without completing a passenger customs declaration. Exports exceeding these limits require a customs declaration.

It is worth noting that a previous case in Namangan resulted in the sentencing of individuals who attempted to smuggle gold jewelry worth 1 billion sums.