In recent years, drug addiction and related crimes have been rapidly increasing in the country. Especially alarming is that this dangerous phenomenon is spreading widely among women and young people, causing serious concern in society.
According to Sarvar Urmonov, Senior Inspector of the National Center for Drug Control under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, from 2020 to 2024, the number of people held accountable for committing drug-related crimes has increased more than twofold. The most worrying aspect is that this growth mainly falls on women and young people.
Five years ago, the share of women among those suspected of drug offenses was only a few percent, but today this figure has tripled. The situation among young people is even more dangerous — every third person who committed a drug crime is a young man or woman under 30 years old.
According to Urmonov, the main reason for this trend is the active distribution of narcotic substances through social networks. Unlike before, when sales took place through street dealers or hidden “intermediaries,” now the sales are expanding through the internet — via various channels, bots, and secret groups. Criminal organizations lure young people with promises of “easy money,” “freedom,” and “fame,” but in fact, drag them into danger and destruction.
“Although law enforcement agencies are achieving success in seizing large batches of drugs and strengthening border control, criminal schemes themselves are becoming increasingly complex. Drug trafficking has moved from the real world into the digital space. Therefore, fighting it requires new approaches — from developing cyber control and internet analysis to preventive work in schools and higher educational institutions,” Urmonov says.
According to the expert, in recent years the state has done a great deal of work in this field: international cooperation has been strengthened, preventive measures expanded, and criminal responsibility toughened. However, the dynamics show that the drug market is rapidly adapting to new technologies.
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