Cadastral inspector arrested in Fergana for demanding \$150,000 for land allocation (video)

Individuals attempting to illegally sell land plots worth over \$500,000 were detained in the Khorezm, Fergana, Tashkent, and Surkhandarya regions, according to a report from the State Security Service.

In Fergana, the leading inspector of the Kokand City Department of the Cadastre Agency allegedly demanded \$150,000 from the head of a farm. The inspector claimed he had helped the farm, which specializes in agriculture, to receive a decision from the Fergana regional administration in 2024 to allocate 5.8 hectares of irrigated land for the construction of a light-type greenhouse. He told the farm manager that the money was needed to compensate his official contacts who assisted in resolving the issue. Officers from the Fergana regional department of the State Security Service, in cooperation with the Department for Combating Economic Crimes, detained the inspector while he was receiving the money.

In another case, a resident of Angren, Tashkent region, born in 1987 and with several prior convictions, offered to sell 18 hectares of gardening land and an adjacent 2 hectares belonging to the Ahangaran Forestry Fund for \$100,000. He also promised to register the land in the buyer’s name through contacts in the cadastre system for an additional \$21,000. He was apprehended by officers from the State Security Service and the Department under the Prosecutor General’s Office after receiving the full \$121,000.

In Khiva, Khorezm region, the head of a limited liability company operating in the horticultural sector allegedly demanded \$120,000 to register 19.9 hectares of land in the name of a buyer, claiming the plot was actually 30 hectares. He also requested \$60,000 for permission to construct a multi-storey residential building on an 80-hectare plot—bringing the total demand to \$180,000. The suspect was caught with material evidence during an operation carried out by officers from the Khorezm regional department of the State Security Service in cooperation with the regional Department of Internal Affairs.

A similar offense was recorded in the Surkhandarya region. An employee of the Topalang Hydroelectric Unit Department under the Topalang-Qoratoq Irrigation Systems Department offered to register 32 hectares of protected river and canal land in Sariosiyo district as personal property in exchange for \$73,500. He was detained while receiving \$70,000 and 39 million soums by officers from the State Security Service, the Department for Combating Economic Crimes, and local law enforcement agencies.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated against all suspects, and investigations are ongoing.

Previously, similar cases of attempted illegal sale of state-owned land were reported in Khorezm, Andijan, and Navoi regions.