Coal supply officials arrested in Namangan over $40,000 bribery demand

The deputy head and an employee of the Namangan regional branch of Coal Supply were detained on suspicion of corruption, according to the State Security Service.

According to the report, the previously convicted official demanded $40,000, claiming he could use his contacts in senior positions to secure the appointment of a citizen as the head of a coal depot in one of the districts of the region and increase the number of coal-laden freight railcars delivered to the depot.

On December 6, he received $25,000 of the requested amount through a branch employee, after which the citizen was appointed as depot head.

Subsequently, the deputy head demanded the remaining $15,000, as well as an additional $7,500 as his share for arranging the dispatch of 30 coal-loaded railcars to the depot – a total of $22,500.

The suspects were detained by officers of the State Security Service and the Department for Combating Economic Crimes while receiving the money through the intermediary branch employee.

Criminal cases have been opened against the individuals under Article 168, Part 4(a) of the Criminal Code (fraud on a particularly large scale) and Article 211, Part 3(a) (bribery on a particularly large scale). A preventive measure in the form of detention has been applied.

The State Security Service said the measures taken have ensured the timely delivery of coal products to the population at preferential prices.

In November 2023, the head of the Tashkent regional branch of Coal Supply was detained while receiving $50,000 for assisting a citizen with employment. In addition, depot managers in Samarkand were found to have embezzled more than 2,000 tons of coal.