The Department under the Prosecutor General's Office has uncovered a crime involving the illegal trafficking of narcotics, psychotropic substances, and crypto assets.

Specifically, officials from three companies — HST, VEK, RBMT — and other individuals organized a scheme to launder money obtained from the illegal sale of narcotic and psychotropic substances.

Through 58 Telegram bots belonging to the international group TESLA SHOP, narcotics and psychotropic substances worth 20.9 billion soums were sold.

These funds were transferred to 90 dummy bank accounts opened in Uzbek banks under the names of 14 foreign nationals. Of this, 8 billion soums went to LLCs HST and VEK, which operate in the Paynet sector, and 4.7 billion soums to the crypto store CP.

Subsequently, the money was transferred to the settlement accounts of these companies, through which Paynet services worth 621.2 billion soums were provided to the public. According to the investigation, the suspects thereby evaded taxes totaling 90.3 billion soums.

Additionally, the criminally obtained funds were used for the illegal circulation of crypto assets worth $50.5 million. Of this amount, crypto assets worth $2.4 million were transferred to the foreign currency accounts of 14 foreign nationals, which is classified as money laundering.

A criminal case has been opened under relevant articles of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan, and an investigation is underway.

Source: www.uznews.uz