Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security has uncovered a corruption scheme involving the illegal import of exotic fruits disguised as apples. Officials from the State Tax Service and the Ministry of Transport and Communications have been detained in connection with the case.
According to the SCNS, unscrupulous business operators, in collusion with government officials, used falsified documents to bring high-value fruits such as mangoes, passion fruit, blueberries, and oranges into the country while declaring them as apples. This allowed them to evade customs duties and tax payments. The illegal imports were processed through the Ak-Tilek checkpoint in the Chuy region, where the volume of goods was also deliberately underreported.
Authorities allege that once the contraband reached its destination, officials altered inspection reports to match the falsified documents, effectively legalizing the smuggled goods in exchange for financial compensation.
As a result of investigative operations, multiple individuals, including government employees, were arrested on March 28, 2025, and placed in pre-trial detention. Officials are continuing to assess the financial damage to the state budget and identify other individuals involved in the scheme.
Source: kyrtag.kg