Law enforcement authorities in Tashkent have dismantled a major fraud scheme involving promises of illegal land allocation and construction permits in the capital region. Officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted a specialized operation that led to the apprehension of a suspect allegedly extorting a massive sum of 840,000 US dollars.

According to investigators, a 56-year-old native of the Khorezm region who owns several construction material supply enterprises managed to gain the trust of a local citizen. The suspect deceitfully promised to facilitate the paperwork necessary to construct residential buildings on a 4-hectare portion of a 9-hectare non-residential property located in the Bustanlik district of the Tashkent region.

Preliminary investigative findings suggest that the individual claimed he could secure official permits through influential acquaintances allegedly working within the State Cadastre Agency. Using this pretext, he initially demanded 100,000 dollars, followed by an additional 740,000 dollars, bringing the total demanded amount to an exorbitant 840,000 dollars.

Operatives from the Ministry's Department of Operational Search intercepted the transaction during a sting operation at a restaurant in the Yunusabad district, detaining the suspect red-handed as he allegedly collected the initial 100,000-dollar payment. Criminal proceedings have been initiated under articles concerning large-scale fraud and complicity in bribery, and ongoing investigations are looking into further details of the case.

Source: www.gazeta.uz