Police officer in Samarkand imprisoned for facilitating illegal gold operations

Court documents reviewed by Kun.uz reveal that L.M., born in 1987, had been working in law enforcement since 2005 and joined the Pakhtachi District Criminal Investigation Department as an operative in October 2023. The case centers on an incident that took place on May 31, 2024, when L.M. was apprehended during an undercover operation. The officer allegedly accepted a 6-million-soum bribe from a resident, M.Q., to overlook the activities of M.Q.’s associate, U.M., who was using an illegal mill to grind ore containing traces of gold.

During the trial, L.M. admitted to the charges, explaining that he initially rejected M.Q.’s proposal but ultimately agreed under financial pressure. L.M. stated that he received numerous calls and messages from M.Q., who requested his assistance to operate the mill without interference from law enforcement. L.M. claimed that he eventually accepted the payment after facing mounting financial challenges, including medical expenses for his wife and sister, as well as accumulating fines.

In his testimony, L.M. described how M.Q. initially approached him with a request for “guidance” and “cooperation” in their illegal gold mining activities. Despite his initial refusal, L.M. later consented, instructing M.Q. to limit mill operations to early mornings to reduce the likelihood of detection. L.M. stressed that he never explicitly demanded payment but accepted it when offered due to his financial constraints.

The court found L.M. guilty under Article 210, Part 1, of the Criminal Code, which addresses bribery offenses. As a result, L.M. was sentenced to two years in prison and banned from holding official positions with financial responsibility in law enforcement for three years.

This conviction follows a recent report involving another officer in the region who received a lengthy prison sentence for aiding a drug courier.