Man caught attempting to smuggle historical coins worth 400 million soums

A man attempting to smuggle coins worth 400 million soums, dating from the 2nd–1st centuries BC to the 20th century AD, has been identified in Tashkent. The information was reported today, August 29, by the press secretary of the State Customs Committee, Husan Tangriyev.

According to the report, officers of the Tashkent city customs administration exposed an attempt to illegally take rare historical valuables out of Uzbekistan at the “Keles” railway border customs post. In particular, during an inspection of a passenger traveling abroad on the “Tashkent–Novosibirsk” train, customs officers discovered 325 undeclared ancient coins, jewelry items, artifacts, a kettlebell, and arrowheads hidden in his hand luggage and bags.

“Among these historical items, the 210 coins can be regarded as a unique collection representing almost all the states that once existed in the history of Uzbek statehood,” the report stated.

According to the conclusion of the art expertise conducted by the Art examination department of the Cultural Heritage Agency of Uzbekistan, the discovered antiquities date back from the 2nd–1st centuries BC up to the 20th century. Therefore, all of these items have been recognized as possessing historical and cultural value, with their estimated worth assessed at nearly 400 million soums.

The 325 historical artifacts seized in the above case have been temporarily handed over for safekeeping to the collection of the Museum of the Islamic Civilization Center of Uzbekistan.

Under the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “on the export and import of cultural property”, the State Customs Committee is the authorized body responsible for regulating the export and import of cultural assets. In accordance with Article 8 of this law, cultural property created 50 years ago or earlier may not be taken out of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

It is worth noting that earlier, two citizens, born in 1991 and 1993, were detained for illegally transporting more than 19 kilograms of gold items from the Kyrgyz Republic to Uzbekistan.