Surkhandarya drug bust: Family involved in smuggling 48 kg of narcotics (video)

Over 48 kilograms of drugs smuggled into Uzbekistan from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan were confiscated. The State Security Service reported this.

It is noted that a resident of Denov district, born in 1984, and previously convicted of drug trafficking, was found to be involved in importing and selling drugs from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan through roundabout routes, and his apartment was searched. As a result, 576 grams of heroin, 2 kg 447 grams of opium, and 1 kg 913 grams of hashish were seized from the basement of the apartment.

Additionally, 9 kg 62 g of hashish, 137,460 US dollars, and 569.8 million soums of unknown origin were seized from his father, born in 1956, who had also been previously convicted for a drug-related crime.

The operation continued, leading to the arrest of his brother, born in 1980, also previously convicted for drug-related crimes, along with his criminal accomplice, born in 1987, a resident of Uzun district. From the accomplice’s house, 159,400 US dollars of unknown origin were seized.

During another operation in the Yangikurgan district, conducted in cooperation with the Border Troops of the State Security Service and the Namangan regional department, a bus traveling on the Yangikurgan-Namangan route was stopped and inspected. 19 kg 915 g of hashish was discovered in the bags of two passengers, born in 1999 and 2002, both residents of this district.

A preliminary investigation revealed that they had smuggled the drugs from Kyrgyzstan for future sale.

In a separate case in the Andijan region, a previously convicted individual, born in 1996, from Marhamat district, was caught by Border Troops while returning from the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border with 4 kg 931 g of opium and 9 kg 949 g of hashish, smuggled by a citizen of Kyrgyzstan.

It is reported that criminal cases have been initiated against these individuals under Articles 246 (Smuggling) and 273 (Illegal preparation, acquisition, storage, and trafficking of narcotic drugs, their analogs, or psychotropic substances) of the Criminal Code. Investigative actions are ongoing.

It should be recalled that earlier, 111 kg of narcotics were confiscated during operations conducted by law enforcement agencies in Samarkand and Tashkent regions.