Law enforcement agencies in the Yakkabog district of the Qashqadaryo region have uncovered and shut down the illegal operations of a private enterprise that was unauthorizedly mining and selling coal at the Zarmas deposit. The operation highlighted severe environmental violations alongside illegal commercial activities masked under the guise of legitimate geological exploration.
Key Takeaways: Officials from 'MEGA AZIYA COAL AND QUARTZ' LLC abused exploration permits to illegally mine and sell 500 tons of coal. During a sting operation, an employee was caught taking a cash advance, while the broader operation destroyed thousands of bushes and trees, causing over 480 million soms in ecological damage.
Investigators established that the company's management held documentation exclusively granting rights for geological research. However, the suspects deliberately bypassed these limitations to engage in commercial-scale coal extraction and distribution. In a joint operation conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Department of Counter-Terrorism and Operational Search, an enterprise worker was caught red-handed accepting 50 million soms out of a 350 million som deal for 500 tons of illegally mined coal. *
Furthermore, under the pretext of constructing an access road to the coal deposit, heavy machinery devastated a protected state forestry zone. The destruction included the uprooting of 24 rare Zarafshan juniper trees, 9 honeysuckle trees, and nearly 3,000 wild bushes. Environmental specialists estimated the resulting damage to local ecosystems at more than 480 million soms.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the head of the enterprise and other accomplices under specific articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, including Article 229 concerning arbitrary action and Article 198, part three, regarding damage to forestry resources. Preliminary investigative actions are currently underway to hold all responsible parties accountable.
Source: kun.uz