Tashkent airport customs may hold newly imported smartphones
People bringing new smartphones into Uzbekistan through Tashkent International Airport risk having their devices temporarily taken away, Customs Committee spokesperson Khusan Tangriev announced.
Under Uzbekistan’s rules, travellers importing a new smartphone must declare it at customs and register its IMEI number to use it on local mobile networks. An IMEI is a unique identification code that can be found by dialling *#06# on the phone. Registration normally costs 88,000 soums within the first 30 days, rising to 110,000 soums afterwards.
Customs officers have now stopped processing imported phones while authorities review how to identify devices and verify that they entered the country legally.
The problem stems from attempts to bring smartphones into Uzbekistan without paying the required import duties. According to the committee, some importers have used fake IMEI codes or copied identification numbers from other phones to make undeclared devices appear legitimate.
Officials are also checking whether a phone’s two IMEI numbers belong to the same device and whether those codes have previously appeared on Uzbekistan’s mobile networks. This explains why previously unused devices are included in the additional checks.
Since January, customs officers have uncovered 185 illegal import cases involving 1,185 phones worth 8.8bn soums ($668,113).
What happens if customs takes your phone?
Passengers can declare their devices through the Yo’lovchi deklaratsiyasi service, Uzbekistan’s online customs declaration system. However, submitting the form does not guarantee that a newly imported phone will be released while processing remains suspended.
If officers keep a device, they must provide written confirmation. Owners will be able to collect their phones once customs resumes processing imports, although no date has been announced.
Foreign tourists visiting Uzbekistan with their personal phones are not affected by the suspension.
The announcement follows complaints on social media that expensive smartphones were being held for up to 30 days. Some passengers also alleged they had been asked to pay as much as $1,100 for faster processing. These claims remain unverified.
Anyone facing suspected corruption or needing assistance can contact the Customs Committee’s 24-hour hotline on 1108.
