Gold in the carpet: How was an NMMC worker exposed?

In Navoi, a court verdict was handed down against a worker who attempted to remove mineral sand containing precious metals from an NMMC plant. According to court documents, he tried to smuggle gold-bearing slurry out of the plant premises by soaking it into pieces of carpet.

The incident occurred at Hydrometallurgical Plant No. 2

According to the court verdict, 36-year-old H.O. worked as a mill operator in the crushing department of Hydrometallurgical Plant No. 2, which belongs to the NMMC Central Mining Administration.

The incident took place on March 20. It is reported that the worker attempted to remove the slurry containing precious metals by saturating two pieces of carpet with it.

However, security department staff at the plant became suspicious of his actions, and the situation was exposed when the package was inspected.

What was found in the carpet pieces?

During the inspection, more than 4 kilograms of mineral sand were discovered in the carpet pieces.

It was revealed that this sand contained 18.44 grams of gold and 4 grams of silver. The value of the gold was estimated at 35 million soums, and the silver at 120,000 soums.

These figures may not seem large in scale, but they show that the issue concerns precious metals and industrial safety.

He confessed his guilt in court

H.O. confessed his guilt in court. In his testimony, he stated that he arrived for his shift on March 20, went to the designated mills, and opened the covers of the lower discharge pipes of mill No. 29.

According to him, he placed two pieces of carpet there. At the end of the shift, he took the carpet pieces and put them into a plastic bag.

“As I was carrying them away, plant security staff appeared in front of me. As soon as I saw them, I threw the package I was holding to the side,” he said in his court testimony.

Following this, the staff opened the package and reported the incident to the internal affairs authorities.

“I am the sole breadwinner in my family”

In court, H.O. stated that his family and financial situation were difficult and that he was the sole breadwinner, asking for leniency.

This circumstance may have been taken into account by the court when sentencing, as he was given a fine rather than a prison sentence.

What decision did the court reach?

The Tamdy District Court for Criminal Cases found H.O. guilty of committing the crime provided for in Article 25, 169, Part 1 of the Criminal Code.

In other words, the act was classified as an attempted theft.

By the court verdict, he was sentenced to a fine of 10 times the basic calculation amount (BHM) — 4 million 120 thousand soums.

Why did this incident attract so much attention?

NMMC is one of the largest industrial enterprises in Uzbekistan. According to the company's official data, it is among the world's top four gold-producing companies and possesses a full industrial chain from extraction to processing.

Therefore, every gram of precious metal in such enterprises is strictly accounted for. Even seemingly minor violations in the production process touch upon issues of economic security, internal control, and trust.

In simple terms, the notion of “trying to take a little bit” does not work here. Any action involving precious metals is treated seriously under the law.

Did internal control work?

The exposure of the incident shows that the plant's order and control system worked. According to the testimony given in court, the worker threw away the package the moment he saw the staff, which further increased suspicion.

In large industrial facilities, security is not just about external guarding. It is also related to monitoring the movement of personnel, production waste, ore, raw materials, and the turnover of finished products.

A big lesson behind one package

This incident not only highlights the accountability of one worker but also shows how important internal discipline and trust are in industrial enterprises.

In court, the defendant mentioned his difficult financial situation. However, financial hardship does not justify breaking the law. Especially when it comes to precious resources of strategic importance to the state and the country's economy.

Now the main question is: to prevent such incidents in large industrial enterprises, is it necessary to strengthen control, or is it also necessary to strengthen the system of social work with employees?