Tashkent police dismantle cyber fraud network targeting Europeans and North Americans

The operation was carried out as part of the "Safe and Healthy Country" campaign by officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service.

According to preliminary findings, the group lured foreign citizens into supposedly high-return investment and cryptocurrency projects before misappropriating their funds. The suspects recruited young people with fluent foreign language skills, including students from prestigious universities, who reportedly made hundreds of calls each day to potential victims.

Investigators uncovered two major fraudulent call centers in Tashkent. The first, located on the sixth floor of a business center in Yashnabad district, employed 97 people, including five foreign nationals. The second operated from the 11th floor of another business center in Yakkasaray district and had 34 employees, including three foreign nationals.

The investigation found that the call centers operated under a hierarchical structure with managers, organizers, assistants, team leaders, and operators. Members of the network allegedly created phishing links promising returns of up to 70% per month and used spoofed telephone numbers to contact residents of Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and other countries. Posing as investment traders, they persuaded victims to transfer crypto assets under the guise of making profitable investments.

Authorities said employees received specialized training designed to maintain strict operational secrecy. Staff used aliases when communicating with foreign clients, while access to the offices was tightly controlled and guarded at all times.

During the raids, officers seized hundreds of computers, mobile phones, hard drives, safes, and other equipment believed to have been used in the operation.

According to investigators, the scheme was organized by a foreign national working together with an Uzbek citizen. Both alleged ringleaders have been arrested, along with eight other key suspects believed to have played leading roles in the call centers' activities.

Another 10 suspects have been placed in pretrial detention, while operational and investigative measures are continuing with respect to the remaining 111 individuals.

A criminal case has been opened, and the investigation is ongoing. The Ministry of Internal Affairs said requests for international legal cooperation are being prepared through its International Cooperation Directorate and the National Central Bureau of Interpol for authorities in Europe and North America.