Officials caught attempting to sell land in Tashkent (video)

Corruption involving land plots has been uncovered in Tashkent region and the city of Tashkent, the State Security Service reported.

According to the report, a senior specialist from the Investment, Industry, and Trade Department of the Tashkent regional administration, together with a notary assistant engaged in private practice in Tashkent, conspired with a realtor born in 1980 and another individual born in 1996. They gained the trust of a citizen planning to engage in business.

They demanded a total of $7.3 million in exchange for selling an 8.5-hectare land plot belonging to an LLC in Chirchiq city for $6.8 million, and for providing technical conditions and permits for electricity, gas, sewage systems, and construction work.

During an operational raid conducted jointly by the State Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Department for Combating Economic Crimes, the suspects were caught with $160,000 in hand, which was part of the demanded sum. Physical evidence was seized at the scene.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the individuals under Article 168, Part 4(a) and 28 (types of criminal participants), and Article 211, Part 3(a) of the Criminal Code (fraud and bribery), and investigative actions are ongoing.

In a separate case, a citizen born in 1986 in Tashkent won the right to lease an 80-square-meter plot in Yashnobod district through the “E-auction” program in October 2022 for 49 years, intending to construct a household service facility.

However, due to various reasons, construction did not proceed, and the plot remained unused for an extended period. In September 2025, the Yashnobod district administration filed a lawsuit in civil court to terminate the lease early.

After the entrepreneur provided supporting documentation, the court ruled in his favor.

During the proceedings, the chief legal advisor of the Yashnobod district administration, abusing his official position, demanded $5,000 from the entrepreneur in exchange for not filing an appeal against the court’s decision.

In a subsequent operational raid conducted by the Tashkent city branch of the State Security Service in cooperation with the City Department under the Prosecutor General’s Office, the legal advisor was caught taking $4,000 in bribes. Physical evidence was seized at the scene.

A criminal case has been opened against him under Article 210, Part 2(v) of the Criminal Code (bribe-taking), and pretrial detention has been applied.

It is worth noting that previously, a judge was also caught accepting a bribe.