Crime - The Times Of Central Asia

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Crime

Tajik Citizens Arrested in U.S. in Connection with ATM Cyberattack

U.S. authorities have charged two Tajik nationals and one Iranian citizen with orchestrating a cyberattack on ATMs to steal cash using a method known as "jackpotting." Two of the suspects have already been apprehended. Law enforcement in Lincoln County, North Carolina, identified the suspects as 26-year-old Nurmuhammad Rahmonzoda, 35-year-old Firdavs Rajabov, and 36-year-old Milod Avazdavani of Iran. The crimes reportedly occurred in February 2025 in the state of Maine. Investigators were able to identify the suspects using CCTV footage and license plate recognition systems. The group allegedly employed jackpotting, a cyber intrusion technique that manipulates ATMs into dispensing cash without recording a legitimate transaction. The investigation was launched after multiple banks reported technical issues with their self-service terminals. Authorities later determined the cyberattacks had been premeditated and synchronized across several ATM locations. In total, the group is accused of stealing more than $10,000. Avazdavani was arrested on March 13, 2025, in Charleston, South Carolina. Rahmonzoda was detained two weeks later in Florida and transferred to Maine. Authorities have not confirmed whether Rajabov has been taken into custody. Rahmonzoda has been formally charged with theft. A court has ordered him to pay $38,480 in restitution to the victims. If he fulfils the court’s compensation order, the felony charge may be downgraded to a misdemeanor, though full criminal liability will still apply. Further proceedings in the case are set to continue in Florida. Previously, U.S. media reported the arrests of other Tajik citizens in unrelated cases involving terrorism and immigration violations.

Crime

Crimes Against Individuals Decrease in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov has reported a decline in serious crimes and public offenses for the January-September 2025 period. According to Sadenov, comprehensive measures implemented by the Ministry of Internal Affairs have produced tangible results: overall crime fell by 7%, a reduction of 6,000 cases, compared to the same period in 2024. Declines were recorded across key categories, including murder, grievous bodily harm, robbery, assault, hooliganism, and theft. Offenses committed in streets and other public spaces also decreased. “The main thing is people's safety: fewer crimes against individuals means greater protection for citizens,” the minister said. The ministry also reported progress in dismantling criminal organizations. Over the past nine months, 70 criminal cases have been initiated against organized crime groups, including 13 transnational operations, with 248 individuals brought to justice. Priorities include combating illegal extraction of natural resources and ensuring the security of freight transport. Road safety remains a top concern: more than 26,000 traffic accidents have been recorded so far in 2025, although the number of fatalities has decreased. Meanwhile, efforts to prevent domestic violence have intensified. In the same period, over 70,000 protective orders were issued, and 6,500 women and children were referred to crisis centers. To strengthen crime prevention and response, Sadenov has called for broader implementation of digital tools, the development of operational control centers, and improved crime detection rates. Kazakhstan has also expanded its surveillance infrastructure. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, more than 19,000 AI-enabled CCTV cameras have been installed nationwide, enabling law enforcement to respond more quickly to incidents.

Crime

Uzbekistan Uncovers Criminal Network Trafficking Human Organs

Uzbekistan’s State Security Service and Ministry of Internal Affairs have uncovered a transnational criminal network involved in the illegal trafficking of human organs. Authorities report that the group included 12 individuals from Tashkent and the Tashkent, Fergana, Bukhara, and Kashkadarya regions. The suspects allegedly used social media platforms to identify patients with kidney and liver conditions, while simultaneously recruiting healthy individuals willing to sell their organs in exchange for large sums of money. With the help of accomplices abroad, the group reportedly forged identity documents to present donors as close relatives of patients, thereby enabling organ transplants to be carried out at a private clinic in a neighboring country. Investigators said that between 2023 and 2025, at least 32 patients underwent kidney or liver transplants arranged by the network. Large payments were collected from recipients, with portions paid to the clinic and donors, while the remainder was divided among the organizers. In cases where patients experienced complications or failed to improve post-surgery, the group allegedly sold them strong painkillers at inflated prices. Criminal charges have been filed under provisions of the Criminal Code related to illegal organ trafficking, document forgery, smuggling, and drug-related offenses. The case has now been referred to the court system for further proceedings. Illegal organ trade has emerged as a broader regional issue. In April 2024, Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) announced the arrest of individuals connected to an international network facilitating black-market organ sales. According to the SCNS, the group identified wealthy foreign patients willing to pay high prices for transplants and recruited Kyrgyz citizens as donors using fraudulent methods. Donors received between $1,000 and $7,000 for a kidney, while the organizers reportedly earned up to $70,000 per operation.

Crime

Kazakh Businessman Almaz Zaripov Detained in Bishkek

The State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan (SCNS) has confirmed the detention of Kazakh citizen Almaz Zaripov, president of the Agrarian and Industrial Union of Kazakhstan, in Bishkek. The arrest, which occurred at the end of August, followed a public appeal by Zaripov’s wife to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, which garnered widespread attention on social media. According to Kyrgyz authorities, the case stems from a March 2025 complaint by two Bishkek residents. The complainants allege that a 51-year-old man offered them a “lucrative business” opportunity involving grain imports from Kazakhstan. After transferring $2.5 million, the alleged supplier ceased communication and disappeared. Zaripov's wife claims the charges are fabricated and alleges the real motive is to seize the company’s assets and extort a large sum of money. The SCNS rejected these accusations, stating that a criminal case was opened based on a Kyrgyz citizen’s complaint of embezzlement. “During the investigation, this fact was confirmed. The citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan was detained, charged, and the court imposed a preventive measure in the form of detention for the duration of the investigation. The investigation is being conducted in full compliance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic,” the agency said in a statement. The committee added that Zaripov has pleaded guilty and has begun compensating the victims. Authorities are considering whether to revise the conditions of his detention. This is not the first time a Kazakh national has faced legal trouble in Kyrgyzstan. Earlier, businessman Kamalutin Khalikov was placed on a wanted list on charges of financing the criminal group led by Kamchybek Asanbek, also known as Kamchy Kolbayev, who was killed during a police operation on October 4, 2023.

Russia

Russia Opens Criminal Case After Attack on Uzbek Migrants in Vladivostok

Russian authorities have opened a criminal investigation following a violent assault on Uzbek migrants in Vladivostok, carried out by a group of teenagers. The incident, which occurred several days ago, was recorded on video and widely circulated on social media, sparking public outrage. The footage shows the young attackers beating the migrants, mocking them, and shouting insults while one of them filmed and laughed. According to the press service of the Investigative Committee of Russia for Primorsky Krai, the assault took place during the night of September 10 on Khabarovskaya Street. Investigators reported that the 15-year-old suspects, allegedly intoxicated, first damaged a parked car and sprayed an aerosol can inside it before attacking the driver. They later entered a 24-hour store and beat another man in front of staff and customers. The group also assaulted a truck driver, a taxi driver, and his passenger, using stones and other objects as weapons while shouting loudly in the street. The committee confirmed that one suspect has been detained, while two others remain at large. All are described in police records as negatively characterized, and at least one is already on trial in a separate hooliganism case stemming from an incident at a local store. If convicted, the suspects could face up to seven years in prison under Article 213, Part 2, of Russia’s Criminal Code, which addresses aggravated hooliganism. Uzbekistan’s Consul General in Vladivostok, Yusuf Qobiljonov, stated that the victims filed an official complaint with local police. Diplomatic notes have also been sent to Russia’s Foreign Ministry office in Vladivostok and the Primorsky Krai Prosecutor’s Office, urging authorities to take appropriate measures. Qobiljonov emphasized that the case is being closely monitored by both the Uzbek consulate and Russian law enforcement agencies.

Russia

Attack on Uzbek Migrants in Vladivostok Prompts Diplomatic Response

An attack on Uzbek migrants in the Russian city of Vladivostok has drawn an official response from Uzbekistan’s diplomatic mission, following reports of violence and online footage showing the assault. On September 13, a group of local youths reportedly attacked several migrants from Uzbekistan on the city's Khabarovskaya street, according to Russian media outlet Vladivostok1. Eyewitnesses said the altercation began when the group began throwing stones at cars carrying the migrants. When the drivers got out to confront them, they were physically assaulted. Several people sustained injuries in the incident. Videos circulated online show the assailants laughing, shouting, and encouraging each other to “hit” the migrants. In one clip, a driver attempts to defend himself with a scooter while demanding that one of the attackers drop a knife. Another migrant was pursued into a store and struck in the face. The individual recording the video acknowledged the presence of surveillance cameras but continued filming. According to Vladivostok1, local police have launched an investigation. While no victims or witnesses initially came forward to file complaints, authorities believe the majority of the attackers were minors. Uzbekistan’s Consul General in Vladivostok, Yusuf Qobiljonov, confirmed that the consulate had promptly contacted the injured citizens and provided legal support. Uzbek nationals have since submitted an official complaint to the Vladivostok Interior Department. Diplomatic notes have also been sent to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s regional office and the Prosecutor’s Office of Primorsky Krai, requesting appropriate legal action. Qobiljonov stated that the case remains under the direct oversight of both Uzbekistan’s consulate and Russian law enforcement agencies. He urged media outlets to rely solely on official information from the Foreign Ministry and diplomatic representatives to prevent misinformation. The incident follows a similar controversy earlier this year, when a video circulated showing a Russian citizen calling an Uzbek immigrant a “slave of the Russians.” That case also prompted Uzbekistan to issue a diplomatic note to the Russian government.