️ Authorities in Uzbekistan's Navoi region have uncovered a large-scale illegal gold mining operation in the Sarmishsay gorge, Navbahor district. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that a 40-year-old resident of Tashkent had purchased about 6 hectares of land at auction three years ago, despite the area being a protected archaeological site.

️ Instead of using the land for its intended purpose, the suspect allegedly organized the extraction of gold-bearing ore using primitive methods. Nineteen workers were reportedly involved in processing the raw material to extract gold particles.

️ During a joint operation by the Navoi Regional Internal Affairs Department and the State Security Service, a makeshift processing facility was raided. Evidence seized included nearly 6 kg of semi-processed material likely containing gold, 1.4 kg of chemicals, and equipment adapted for smelting gold.

️ Four JAC trucks and four loaders were impounded for inspection. Preliminary estimates indicate that the illegal activity caused damage worth 111.489 billion Uzbek soums (approximately $9.6 million) to state interests and the archaeological site.

️ A criminal case has been opened under Article 196-2 of the Criminal Code (Illegal extraction of minerals using prospector methods). An investigation is ongoing. This is not the first such incident in the area; previously, a group was detained for illegally mining gold in the Sarmishsay mountains over several months, extracting rocks containing 9.9 kg of gold valued at 15.5 billion soums.

Source: www.gazeta.uz