In September 2025, a criminal case concerning the mass poisoning of children in kindergartens in Tashkent Region was submitted to the Bostanlyk District Court. According to Supreme Court press secretary Aziz Obidov, 11 individuals have been brought to trial. They are persons who held managerial and technical positions in companies involved in the production, supply, and servicing of products for kindergartens.
The accused are charged under Part 4, paragraph "b" of Article 186 of the Criminal Code (production, storage, transportation, or sale of goods that do not meet safety requirements) and Part 1 of Article 257-1 (violation of sanitary legislation or anti-epidemic rules). Ten of them have been placed in pre-trial detention, while one is under house arrest.
Investigation results revealed that R. O. and other accused, who worked at the Shark Milk Product enterprise in Akkurgan District, failed to comply with sanitary legislation requirements, instructions from the Ministry of Health, and other norms on the quality and safety of food products. They entered into a criminal conspiracy with companies providing outsourcing services to 123 kindergartens in Pskent, Akkurgan, Bostanlyk, Quyi Chirchiq, and Bekabad districts, concluding contracts for the supply of milk and dairy products. In practice, the products were delivered directly to the kindergartens in violation of sanitary requirements, leading to the mass illness and poisoning of children.
On September 25, 2025, 1,922 children sought medical attention in regional healthcare facilities with symptoms of poisoning. Preliminary investigation suggests that the poisoning may have been caused by a kefir product from Shark Milk Product. The Investigative Department under the Tashkent Regional Police Department initiated the criminal case on September 25.
A similar incident occurred in 2021 in Akkurgan District, where 25 children were affected. Shark Milk Product had supplied dairy products to preschool institutions at that time as well, but the investigation results were not disclosed.
Source: www.gazeta.uz