An Uzbek court has sentenced several individuals for smuggling goods to and from Kyrgyzstan through an illegally dug tunnel on private property near the Kyrgyz border, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported on May 3.
The court handed down prison terms of between six and seven years to three men, while three other defendants were handed parole-like sentences.
The owner of the property where the tunnel was found was said to have 2,707 mobile phones in his possession, for which he could not produce sales documents.
Authorities launched an investigation after they discovered an entrance to the tunnel in a private house in the town of Rishton in July last year. Since 2021, Kyrgyz authorities have found at least four similar tunnels.
Don’t just follow the news—understand it.
The IntelliNews PRO service includes access to reports, exclusive market data, and more news that decision-makers care about. Stay ahead of the market with IntelliNews PRO.
Sign Up NowRelated Articles
Eurasian Development Bank redeems €286mn Eurobond
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) said on March 26 it had fully redeemed a five-year Eurobond, meeting all obligations to investors at maturity. The bank paid a total of €286mn, covering both ... more
Construction work on $4.6bn Trans-Afghan Railway could reportedly be under way within six months
Construction work on the proposed Trans-Afghan Railway could be under way within six months, while the project could cost around $4.6bn to deliver and cut shipping transit times from Uzbekistan to ... more
Unusually intense heatwave hit Central Asia in March, may impact crop yields
Central Asia experienced an unusually intense heatwave in March that could have an impact on agricultural crop yields, according to an April 4 ... more