Between 2023 and 2025, more than one thousand driver licenses were allegedly issued across state services centers in Uzbekistan based on fabricated documents. The General Prosecutor's Office has reportedly initiated a criminal case and conducted a comprehensive investigation into the matter. Authorities discovered that individuals who failed their official driving tests could simply visit state service centers and walk out with legitimate-looking driver licenses within 10 to 15 minutes, highlighting glaring security vulnerabilities in the administrative infrastructure.
Key Takeaways: Over 1,000 fraudulent driver licenses were issued between 2023 and 2025; the scheme involved an international network operating from abroad; the General Prosecutor's Office has launched a formal criminal investigation.
Case files outline a typical scheme involving a resident of the Fergana region, A.Ye., who failed his driving examinations. After discussing his frustrations with a local barber, he was purportedly referred to an individual named Abdulvosit who offered to arrange a driver license for 500 US dollars. Abdulvosit instructed A.Ye. to visit the Yunusabad district state services center in Tashkent, where the applicant handed over a forged old-type license, paid standard state fees, and received a brand-new driver license within minutes without undergoing any testing.
According to testimonies provided in court, the key organizer, Abdulvosit, had been residing in Russia where he allegedly specialized in manufacturing counterfeit documents. Starting in early 2024, he reportedly began receiving orders for Uzbek driver licenses through the Telegram messaging app from Moscow, subsequently fabricating and smuggling the items into Uzbekistan. Investigations revealed that another individual, Kakhramon Kurbanov, allegedly placed orders with him at a rate of 50 dollars per forged license.
Law enforcement agencies are continuing further investigative procedures to identify all accomplices linked to this sprawling criminal enterprise. The incident underscores deep-seated bureaucratic inefficiencies and the pressing need for tighter digital verification protocols within public service delivery institutions across the country.
Source: kun.uz