In Uzbekistan, over 3,000 illegal cases related to the circulation of alcohol and tobacco were stopped.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Market Regulation Inspectorate provided information on the work carried out and the results achieved in the sector.
A briefing was held at the Inspectorate for Regulation of the Alcohol and Tobacco Market under the Department for Combating Economic Crimes, where information was provided on the work carried out and the results achieved in the sector.
It was noted that the Inspectorate was established in accordance with Decree No. PF-84 of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated June 3, 2024. It issues licenses for the production of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco products, as well as for the wholesale trade of alcohol, and also monitors and supervises compliance with license requirements.
It was reported that currently, a total of 12,694 business entities operate in this sector. Of these, 2 produce tobacco products, 6 produce ethyl alcohol, 36 produce alcoholic beverages, and 17 produce beer products. Additionally, 345 enterprises are engaged in wholesale trade, and 12,288 are engaged in retail trade.
During the reporting period, 267 applications for licensing were reviewed. As a result, licenses were issued to 9 producers of alcoholic beverages and 2 producers of tobacco products, as well as to 44 wholesale trade enterprises. Permits were also formalized for 46 new warehouses.
As a result of monitoring license fees by the Inspectorate, 31.3 billion soums were collected. A total of 2,564 electronic meters on production lines were sealed.
During the briefing, work carried out on the digitalization of the sector was also announced. All entities were inventoried, and their electronic register was formed. Furthermore, the "ISAT" electronic information system was created, enabling control over the circulation of products.
This system automatically analyzes data on the consumption of raw materials, energy, and other resources during the production process, the sale of products through the digital marking system, compliance with license requirements, and the movement of vehicles transporting ethyl alcohol, thereby identifying risks.
Additionally, the "ISAT" system is integrated with the information systems of the justice, tax, customs, and cadastre authorities, "Asl belgisi," UzGPS, the commodity exchange, electricity and gas supply agencies, electronic meters of producers, video surveillance equipment, and GPS trackers on vehicles transporting ethyl alcohol.
In accordance with Minutes No. 6 of the Coordination Commission for the Implementation of the "Digital Uzbekistan – 2030" Strategy dated January 15, 2025, it was stipulated that 6.45 billion soums be allocated for the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies into the "ISAT" system.
In the direction of combating illegal circulation, as a result of operational and control measures conducted in cooperation with the Department, 3,067 cases of illegal activity were stopped.
Alcoholic beverages worth 76 billion soums and tobacco products worth 89 billion soums, which were unfit for consumption and dangerous to human health, were seized from circulation.
Regarding compliance with license requirements, inspections were carried out at a total of 29 enterprises: 15 producers of alcoholic beverages, 11 wholesale enterprises, and 3 producers of ethyl alcohol.
During the reporting period, a total of 1,506 promotional events were organized. Of these, 1,104 were conducted through mass media, including 107 appearances on television, 125 on radio, 780 on internet networks, and 92 articles published in the press. Additionally, on the initiative of employees, 402 oral promotional events were held.
During the briefing, it was also announced that the Inspectorate's hotline at 71-202-86-90 has been established.
It was emphasized that the Inspectorate will consistently continue its work aimed at ensuring economic stability by enforcing the implementation of legislative acts related to the sector and providing legal assistance to business entities.
