State Security Service busts multiple illegal hajj schemes across Uzbekistan

Individuals who illegally demanded $26,000 to arrange Hajj pilgrimages and received $20,000 in advance have been apprehended in Tashkent. The State Security Service (SSS) of Uzbekistan reported the incident.

According to the SSS, during a joint operation conducted by the Tashkent Department of the State Security Service and the internal affairs bodies, four employees of a tourist company operating in Tashkent were detained. They were caught while demanding $7,000 to send three citizens to Hajj using a work visa and an additional $5,000 to send one citizen using a tourist visa — totaling $26,000 — and had already received $20,000 in advance.

In a separate operation conducted in cooperation with the Fergana Regional Department of the Service and internal affairs authorities, the manager of a tourism company based in the city of Margilan was detained with material evidence. He had accepted $2,400 to send two citizens for the Umrah pilgrimage, as well as $15,000 to send three others to Hajj.

Another operation by the Namangan Regional Department of the Service, also in collaboration with internal affairs authorities, led to the detention of a 1999-born resident of Namangan. He had posted fraudulent advertisements on social media claiming to organize Hajj trips for the current year, thereby gaining the trust of three citizens. He was caught while receiving $4,900 from each of them — totaling $14,700.

Additionally, in a joint operation by the Namangan regional department and internal affairs bodies, the head of a tourism company based in Chust district was detained with material evidence. Despite lacking a license to organize Umrah pilgrimages, he promised to send three citizens on Umrah for $1,350 each — totaling $4,050 — and had received $4,000 in advance.

Furthermore, in another operation with the participation of the Department for Combating Economic Crimes, a 1998-born resident of Tashkent was detained. He had promised to send five citizens to Saudi Arabia on Hajj visas through a limited liability company based in the capital, charging $27,000 in total and receiving $13,500 in advance.

Criminal cases have been initiated against all those involved under relevant articles of the Criminal Code, and investigative procedures are currently underway.

It is worth noting that earlier, similar fraudulent schemes involving Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages were uncovered in the Andijan region and the city of Tashkent, where individuals embezzled funds by deceiving citizens under the guise of organizing religious trips.