The State Committee for National Security identified more than 80 illegal exchange points at the Dostuk checkpoint

The State Committee for National Security reported on the suppression of illegally operating currency exchange points at the Dostuk-Avtozhol checkpoint located on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border.

During the investigation, it was established that 116 exchange offices were operating in the area adjacent to the checkpoint, 84 of which were operating without the appropriate licences.

On 26 October, SCNS officers conducted large-scale searches of illegal exchange offices. As a result of the operation, cash in various currencies was seized, including:

• 66.49 million KGS;
• 941,360 US dollars;
• 3.63 billion Uzbek sum;
• 66.73 million Russian roubles;
• 3.53 million Kazakh tenge;
• 23,360 euros;
• 53,900 Chinese yuan;
• as well as amounts in Turkish lira and Tajik somoni.

All exchange offices have been closed and sealed.

Earlier, the State Committee for National Security, together with the Osh branch of the National Bank, conducted raids, as a result of which the violators were fined 17.5 thousand KGS. However, as noted by the agency, administrative measures did not produce results, and illegal activities continued.

In this regard, a criminal case has been opened under Article 218, Part 2 of the Criminal Code - ‘Illegal entrepreneurial and banking activities with the extraction of income on an especially large scale.’

At the moment, investigative actions are being carried out to identify all persons involved in illegal activities and channels of cash circulation.