The press service of the State Customs Committee under the Ministry of Economy and Finance reported that Bukhara regional customs officials intercepted the attempt to transit the 705,500 boxes of cigarettes.

According to the report, the shipment entered through the "Khojadevlat" railway customs post, and the documents for one of the containers on the freight train transiting through the republic indicated that it was carrying over 16 tons of black tea.

During the customs inspection, it was discovered that the container held not tea but a completely different product: 705,500 boxes of cigarettes listed under two names. It was also noted that the products were not marked with the excise stamps required by the receiving state’s legislation.

Preliminary estimates indicate that the total value of tobacco products amounts to 17 billion UZS. The products are currently held in temporary storage, and customs investigations are ongoing regarding the case.

It is important to note that starting September 1, 2024, transporters must deposit funds equivalent to the excise tax, VAT, and customs duties with the customs authorities when transiting tobacco products through Uzbekistan. This deposit will be refunded once it is confirmed that the cigarettes have been exported out of the country.