Person detained for selling 297 million soums in counterfeit banknotes for 148 million soums

A major illegal scheme threatening financial security and the economic system has been uncovered in Uzbekistan. In a joint special operation carried out by officers of the departments of the State Security Service for Tashkent city and Andijan region, a person engaged in home-printing counterfeit money and putting it into circulation was detained.

It turned out that the suspect attempted to put a large amount of counterfeit banknotes into circulation at 50 percent of the value of real money.

Moment of arrest: 297 million soums valued at 148 million

According to the details of the operation, the special action was organized in a planned manner:

• Identity determination: The crime was committed by a citizen born in 1987, residing in Asaka district, Andijan region. He was previously convicted of a crime related to fraud and returned to his old crooked ways;

• Caught in the act: The suspect was detained red-handed with material evidence while selling a total of 297 million soums in counterfeit banknotes, consisting of high-imitation 100,000 and 200,000 soum fake notes, to a special conditional buyer for 148 million soums in real money.

Hidden workshop at home: Printer, special papers, and new batches in preparation

When operational officers inspected the suspect's place of residence, it turned out that the apartment had been turned into a genuine counterfeit money workshop:

• Technical means: A modern computer set intended for printing and processing counterfeit banknotes and a special Epson-branded printer were found in the house;

• Semi-finished banknotes: During the search, semi-finished 50,000 and 100,000 soum counterfeit banknotes printed on both sides of A4-sized special paper, not yet ready for circulation, were discovered;

• Cutting equipment: Professional paper-cutting machines used to precisely cut banknotes to standard sizes were also duly documented and seized.

Risk of up to 15 years of imprisonment: Investigative actions launched

A case has been opened on this incident under the strictest norms of the legislation:

• Article and punishment: Currently, the Tashkent City Department of the SSS has initiated a criminal case against this citizen and his potential accomplices under clause "a" of Part 3 of Article 176 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan (manufacturing, selling counterfeit money, excise stamps or securities on a particularly large scale);

• Search for accomplices: According to the legislation, persons found guilty under this clause can be sentenced to 10 to 15 years of imprisonment. Currently, the investigative team is conducting inquiries to expose the criminal's potential criminal connections spread across the regions and network participants.