Over 3,000 propane cylinders seized from illegal resellers in Uzbekistan

Massive raids against propane resale

Uzbekistan's State Security Service and other law enforcement agencies have curbed the sale of liquefied gas at inflated prices in various regions of the country. This was reported by the Telegram channel XAVFSIZLIK, which is linked to the security service. From October 19 to 21, a series of raids was carried out against schemes involving the appropriation of propane allocated to residents of non-gasified areas and its resale at a markup. The operations involved the SSS, internal affairs bodies, the prosecutor's office, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and Uzenergoinspektsiya.

Scale of seizures and the role of gas service employees

Following the inspections, more than 3,000 cylinders containing 13.6 tons of gas were seized as material evidence. Law enforcement officers identified over 120 cases of illegal fuel resale across the country, with employees of gas supply organizations directly involved in the schemes in 39 of them. Citizens were advised to report violations in the liquefied gas supply sector to the security service call center at 1520.

Cases by region

In Jizzakh region, nine underground liquefied gas storage facilities with 239 cylinders were discovered; the largest, holding 152 cylinders, was located in the home of a relative of a senior employee of the Khududgaztaminot department for Zomin district. In Samarkand region, in Urgut district, a guard at a gas filling station was detained while selling three cylinders for 2.5 million soums, and in Pastdargom district, 22 cylinders were found with a local resident who bought them from a gas service driver for 70,000 soums each and resold them for 100,000 soums. In Khavast district of Syrdarya region, a gas service employee stored 30 cylinders at home; in Khatirchi district of Navoi region, 26 cylinders were seized from a district gas company driver. In Surkhandarya region, raids uncovered 65 cylinders, including those belonging to a resident of Bandikhan district who bought propane from a driver for 70,000 soums for resale. In Kushtepa district of Fergana region, eight cylinders were seized from the homes of a district gas company specialist and a fitter. The SSS also reported similar cases in Karakalpakstan, Khorezm, Namangan region and other regions.

Khududgaztaminot statistics

The press service of Khududgaztaminot reported the curbing of illegal liquefied gas sales worth 10.7 billion soums since the beginning of 2025. Over twenty-one months, the company's compliance and internal control structures detected 471 'bunkers' for storing and illegally selling fuel.

Why it matters

The raids affect residents of non-gasified areas, for whom propane is the main fuel: according to law enforcement, gas allocated to them was appropriated and resold at a markup, in a significant share of cases with the involvement of gas service employees themselves. The practical consequences were the seizure of more than 3,000 cylinders and renewed oversight of supplies, while residents were urged to report violations at 1520. The publications did not report any criminal cases being opened or penalties imposed on those responsible.