Customs resumes clearance of mobile phones at Tashkent Airport
If IMEI substitution is suspected, customs officers will refer to UzIMEI.
This was announced by the press secretary of the Customs Committee, Khusan Tangriev, at a briefing on November 11. The clearance of imported mobile phones was temporarily suspended on the evening of November 10.
The agency cited the increasing attempts to transport devices exceeding the current duty-free allowance using counterfeit IMEI codes as the reason. Violators registered phones under the identifiers of other devices or processed multiple devices under the same code.
Customs officials noted that detecting such cases requires specialized knowledge and training. Therefore, if IMEI substitution is suspected, staff at Tashkent Airport will consult representatives of UzIMEI. The organization's office will operate continuously at the terminal.
The committee believes that the new procedure will allow issues related to the import of mobile devices to be addressed uniformly and in compliance with legal requirements.
"Thanks to the clarification of the situation, the customs clearance process for mobile devices resumes today in the established manner," Tangriev stated.
The Customs Committee also commented on reports about the seizure of phones for up to 30 days and paid expedited clearance. The agency did not confirm the introduction of such rules.
