In Surkhandarya, counterfeit cigarettes worth 10 billion soms were destroyed.

All 749,900 packs of cigarettes were seized earlier by the customs department's anti-smuggling unit. A group of individuals attempted to illegally import them into Uzbekistan across the border.

These cigarettes, valued at 10.2 billion sums, were produced abroad, and by the time they were brought into the republic, their expiration date had already passed.

According to the verdict of the Sherabad District Court for Criminal Cases, one member of the group was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison. The cigarettes, confiscated as evidence, were destroyed.

The packaging of these tobacco products lacked information about the health hazards of smoking, as well as digital labeling codes. They were also not packaged with Uzbekistan's excise stamps.

In 2023-2024, the Surkhandarya Regional Customs Administration, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, identified 117 cases of customs law violations. During these operations, the illegal import and domestic circulation of 3.2 million packs of tobacco products worth 55.5 billion sums were prevented.