Workers caught hiding gold in ventilation pipe at Navoiy mining plant

17:50 / 17.05.20252,6542 min

An attempted gold theft at Hydrometallurgical Plant No. 3, part of the Northern Mine Directorate of “Navoiy Mining and Metallurgical Combinat” JSC, has been thwarted. Three employees of the plant tried to conceal semi-processed material containing over 1.5 kilograms of pure gold inside an air purification pipe.

Workers caught hiding gold in ventilation pipe at Navoiy mining plant

According to official reports, two shift supervisors and one division technician working at the facility conspired to unlawfully acquire wealth. The group hid approximately 2 kilograms of semi-processed material, rich in gold content, inside the plant’s air purification system with the intention of stealing it later.

Their plan was intercepted by officers from the State Security Service’s Navoiy regional department in cooperation with internal affairs authorities. During the operation, the illicit actions of the employees were halted before any gold could be removed from the premises.

Subsequent analysis confirmed that the concealed material contained a total of 1,523 grams of pure gold, valued at approximately 2.1 billion UZS (about $165,000).

A criminal case has been opened against the individuals under Article 25, Clause 4(a) of Article 169 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan — “Theft in especially large amounts.” Investigative procedures are currently underway.