In the first quarter of 2026, Uzbekistan identified 80 organized criminal groups and arrested 211 individuals involved in them. This was announced by Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs – Head of the Investigation Department, Ramazon Ashrapov, at a press conference on April 11. He stated that a total of 6,211 preventable crimes were committed in January-March of the current year, which is 596 fewer than in the same period last year.

According to Ashrapov, 4,080 criminal cases were initiated related to the illegal trafficking of narcotic substances. As a result, 872 kg of narcotics, 33 kg of synthetic substances, and over 296,000 potent drugs were seized from criminal groups and individuals. Extensive operational measures in the fight against organized crime led to the identification of 670 crimes in total.

Over the past three months, 1,076 corruption and economic crimes were detected, resulting in damages amounting to 199 billion 565 million soums. More than 18,000 crimes were committed using information and communication technologies, with 97% of them involving the theft of citizens' funds through electronic payment systems. Cybercrimes were primarily carried out through phishing links on social networks, fraudulent schemes, and fake online financial exchanges.

Additionally, during the three-month period, operational units detained 2,193 individuals who were evading investigation and court, and found 171 missing persons, who were returned to their families. In 81% of the country's existing neighborhoods, or 7,309 of them, no crimes were allowed to occur, but 1,497 neighborhoods (16.6%) were classified as "yellow" and 186 (2.1%) as "red."

Previously, it was reported that in January-March 2026, 36 crimes were committed by internal affairs personnel, and 32 employees who grossly violated service discipline were dismissed from the system, highlighting internal control issues.

Source: www.gazeta.uz