In Uzbekistan, fifty hundred students were caught in drug-related crimes

In Uzbekistan, 46 university students were found involved in drug trafficking in the first half of the year, UzA reports, citing Muhammadqodir Mahmudov, Senior Inspector of the National Drug Control Center under the Presidential Administration.

The specialist noted that currently, students are increasingly being recruited as drug couriers, which is a serious problem for the country. Additionally, Muhammadqodir Mahmudov drew attention to the emergence of underground drug laboratories where thousands of lethal doses are produced.

In particular, law enforcement officers identified 5 drug laboratories in 2024, and 8 in the first six months of 2025. At the same time, according to the expert, it becomes more difficult to find out who makes them and who places orders.

Today, the form of drugs is also changing. If previously they were mainly of natural origin, now they can be found in various products — drinks, energy drinks, coffee, sweets, and other goods. The horrifying thing is that such substances cause addiction after the first use and do not make a difference between a person’s gender, age, or social status,” the specialist emphasized.

Also, the department representative said that modern narcotic substances do not show their symptoms as quickly as before, which prevents relatives from identifying the young man who fell under their influence.

Previously, drug addicts could be recognized by the darkened skin under their eyes and the injection marks on their hands. Now, however, young people, after consuming certain substances, become excessively active, energetic, and cheerful, which does not arouse suspicion in parents. On the contrary, such changes please loved ones, and no one thinks about possible drug use. But this is only a temporary effect: over time, pain, suffering, and sharp changes in the psyche appear, which in a number of cases lead some young people to suicide, — the specialist concluded.

At the same time, Muhammadkadir Makhmudov noted that with the growth of drug use in the country, the number of drug crimes is also increasing. In particular, in the first half of 2025, law enforcement officers identified 23% more such crimes than in the same period of 2024. The department representative urged citizens, especially parents, to be vigilant and not to remain indifferent to their children.

Earlier, it was reported that drug trafficking gangs were uncovered in Fergana. The group members also operated in neighboring Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.