Photo courtesy of the Customs Committee of Uzbekistan press service
Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport has temporarily suspended customs clearance for newly imported mobile devices not registered in Uzbekistan. Customs officers are currently seizing such smartphones to conduct necessary technical verification procedures. Husan Tangriyev, spokesperson for the republic’s Customs Committee, confirmed the development on his Telegram channel.
The official explained that the measure comes in response to an increasing number of attempts to exploit duty-free import allowances through illegal schemes, such as submitting fake IMEI codes to customs officers.
According to statistics cited by Tangriyev, since the beginning of the year, Tashkent customs has thwarted 185 smuggling attempts involving 1,185 smartphones and similar devices, with a total estimated value of 8.8 billion soums ($732,000).
Authorities noted that verifying IMEI numbers—specifically ensuring codes correspond to legitimate devices and detecting network incidents associated with them—requires specialized technical expertise. In many cases, these inspections require the involvement of specialists from other relevant government agencies.
“Therefore, measures have been taken to clarify procedures for verifying and registering mobile device IMEI codes. The situation will be resolved as quickly as possible, and customs clearance will resume in due course,” Tangriyev wrote.
However, the Customs Committee spokesperson did not provide a specific timeline for when on-site device clearance will resume.
Speaking to journalists from Gazeta.uz, the official confirmed that devices arriving with passengers from abroad are currently confiscated under an official seizure record. Once customs verification procedures are completed, the phones will be returned to their owners. Authorities have not specified how long the technical examination will take.
Tangriyev also emphasized that the measure applies exclusively to brand-new phones and does not affect foreign tourists.
Meanwhile, reports have surfaced on social media claiming that customs officers at the Tashkent airport are occasionally offering to resolve the issue on the spot. Specifically, passengers claim that officers tell them technical procedures could take up to 30 days, while offering an expedited clearance option for an informal fee.
For example, while the official customs duty on a new-model iPhone is around $150, travelers report demands of up to $450 for fast-track clearance. On average, social media users claim that same-day processing costs between $400 and $1,100, depending on the gadget’s market price.
Tangriyev addressed these allegations in his post, denying that any expedited same-day registration fees without inspection have been introduced. The spokesperson urged the public to rely solely on official information sources, adding that anyone encountering corruption should immediately contact the Customs Committee hotline at 1108.
Consumer electronics retailers have already responded to the disruption. According to local media, prices for new smartphones at Tashkent’s Malika electronics market have spiked by roughly $200.
On May 1, 2025, Uzbekistan introduced new duty-free import limits for personal goods, setting a $1,000 threshold for air arrivals. Travelers must declare mobile devices and register them with the UzIMEI system. Both procedures incur charges: customs duty stands at 30% of the phone's value, while registration costs 20% of the base calculation value (BRV)—88,000 soums ($7)—if completed within 30 days of arrival, rising to 25% of the BRV after that window.
According to Customs Committee data, Uzbekistan imported four million mobile devices between January and September, generating more than 1.6 trillion soums ($133 million) in customs revenue for the state budget.
