Criminal Case Opened Over Illegal Hunting of Bear and Wild Boars in Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Employees of the regional departments for ecology and climate change in Samarkand and Surkhandarya regions have conducted another enforcement raid, uncovering evidence of illegal hunting.

During the operation, officers stopped a white Niva Legend vehicle. Eight bags in the trunk contained parts of the carcasses of one bear and three wild boars.

Officers also found three rifled hunting rifles, an MS-2112 smoothbore shotgun and a loaded Monza rifled firearm containing four rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.

The seized items also included 43 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, 56 small-shot cartridges, 13 bullet cartridges, two binoculars, two silencers, knives, flashlights, an axe and other equipment.

Preliminary findings indicate that the individuals illegally killed a Tien Shan brown bear listed in Uzbekistan’s Red Book and three wild boars in Sariasiyo district of Surkhandarya Region. The damage to wildlife has been estimated at 679.8 million soums.

The hunting weapons, ammunition, permits and hunting licences were transferred to the Samarkand Regional Department of Internal Affairs for temporary storage. The vehicle was taken to an impound lot.

A criminal case has been opened against those involved in the hunt under Part 3 of Article 202 of the Criminal Code of Uzbekistan.