Tax officials detained in Karakalpakstan for demanding a $2,000 bribe

Two chief inspectors of the Tax Department of the Republic of Karakalpakstan were detained for demanding a bribe during an inspection of a limited liability company engaged in retail food trade in Nukus. The State Security Service reported the incident.

According to the report, during the inspection, the inspectors claimed that violations of tax legislation amounting to 213 million soum had allegedly been identified. In exchange for reducing this amount to 34 million soum, they demanded $2,000 from the head of the company.

The illegal actions of the inspectors were stopped at the moment they received $700 and 15 million soum through a former tax authority employee who acted as an intermediary.

A criminal case has been initiated against all three individuals under the relevant articles of the Criminal Code, and investigative actions are currently under way.

It is worth noting that earlier in Andijan region, an internal affairs officer and a university manager were detained for accepting a bribe after promising to raise a coursemate’s exam grades.