Internal Affairs Department’s corrupt officers detained

Internal Affairs officers have been apprehended with physical evidence for taking bribes for various purposes in Bukhara, the Tashkent region, and the city of Tashkent, the State Security Service reported.

According to the reports, an officer of the Bukhara Regional Department of Internal Affairs demanded $13,000 in exchange for using his official contacts to close part of a criminal case against a suspect under investigation by the Investigation Department of the Bukhara City Internal Affairs Coordination Department. During swift operations, the officer was arrested with physical evidence while receiving the money.

Another officer of the Angren City Unit of the Protection Department under the Main Department of Internal Affairs of the Tashkent region acted in coordination with the deputy commander of the unit, abusing his official position to demand $1,500 in exchange for securing a job for a resident of the Oqqorgon district in the Protection Department through his influential contacts. The officer was caught with material evidence while receiving $1,000 in advance.

In addition, a senior inspector of the Passport-Visa Department at Tashkent International Airport, part of the Migration and Personalization Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, abused his official position by promising to expedite the issuance of an accompanying stamp in the biometric passport of a minor traveling abroad with a citizen escort. He was apprehended while taking $400 as a bribe for his services.

During the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the senior inspector had received between $300 and $700 from each of 42 foreign citizens since the beginning of 2025 for accelerating the issuance of exit visas, and between $200 and $400 as a bribe for the expedited issuance of accompanying stamps in the passports of eight Uzbek citizens.

A criminal case has been initiated against the law enforcement officers, and pre-trial detention has been imposed on them. Investigative proceedings are currently underway.

Earlier, an officer of the Bureau of Compulsory Enforcement was sentenced to six years in prison for taking 14.6 million soums and $450 as a bribe in the Tashkent region’s Bekabad district.