Photo courtesy of the Investigative Committee of Belarus
MINSK, 20 June (BelTA) - The issues of setting up joint crime investigation teams to conduct parallel investigations in the two countries, as well as the operational exchange of data on bank payment cards used in criminal activity were discussed during a working meeting of the Belarusian delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the Investigative Committee Anatoly Vasilyev with Deputy Prosecutor General of Uzbekistan Svetlana Artykova, BelTA learned from the Investigative Committee of Belarus.
“Since 2023, there has been a rapid increase in the number of crimes related to the withdrawal of funds stolen from Belarusian citizens to bank accounts in Uzbekistan: 37 cases in 2023, 142 in 2024, and eight in January-May 2025. Criminal cases against participants of transnational organized criminal groups of cyber fraudsters are under investigation. Among victims of such criminal activities are also dozens of citizens of Uzbekistan. This led to a sharp increase in the number of orders for the provision of legal assistance sent by Belarusian investigators to the competent justice authorities of Uzbekistan,” the Investigative Committee said.
The parties discussed the results of bilateral cooperation in criminal cases, the quality, scope and timing of the provision of international legal assistance, areas for improving and expanding cooperation in the exchange of experience and information under the interdepartmental agreement of 2017. The agenda of the meeting also included current initiatives of joint work with the Law Enforcement Academy and the Digital Forensics Research Institute of Uzbekistan, as well as the organization of a permanent exchange of information about payment cards used to steal money, bank accounts of Uzbekistan for their timely blocking, preventing the withdrawal of stolen funds, preventive work with drops, establishing criminals and and bringing them to justice. The participants of the meeting also talked over the issues of organizing joint work within crime investigation teams or other forms of international cooperation in parallel investigations of criminal activities of transnational organized criminal groups in the territory of the two states.
“Uzbekistan supported the initiative to study the issues of setting up joint investigation teams for conducting parallel investigations in the two countries, the rapid exchange of data on bank payment cards used in criminal activity and other tools for committing cybercrimes. During the meeting, Deputy Head of the Directorate of Digital Development of the Preliminary Investigation of the Central Office of the Investigative Committee Sergei Gamko presented the department’s best practices in suppressing the activities of an international criminal organization, whose leaders and participants fraudulently seized funds in an especially large amount of citizens of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The visit was a convincing confirmation of the high level and productivity of cooperation between law enforcement agencies of Belarus and Uzbekistan in the fight against transnational crime, the ministry said.
“Since 2023, there has been a rapid increase in the number of crimes related to the withdrawal of funds stolen from Belarusian citizens to bank accounts in Uzbekistan: 37 cases in 2023, 142 in 2024, and eight in January-May 2025. Criminal cases against participants of transnational organized criminal groups of cyber fraudsters are under investigation. Among victims of such criminal activities are also dozens of citizens of Uzbekistan. This led to a sharp increase in the number of orders for the provision of legal assistance sent by Belarusian investigators to the competent justice authorities of Uzbekistan,” the Investigative Committee said.
The parties discussed the results of bilateral cooperation in criminal cases, the quality, scope and timing of the provision of international legal assistance, areas for improving and expanding cooperation in the exchange of experience and information under the interdepartmental agreement of 2017. The agenda of the meeting also included current initiatives of joint work with the Law Enforcement Academy and the Digital Forensics Research Institute of Uzbekistan, as well as the organization of a permanent exchange of information about payment cards used to steal money, bank accounts of Uzbekistan for their timely blocking, preventing the withdrawal of stolen funds, preventive work with drops, establishing criminals and and bringing them to justice. The participants of the meeting also talked over the issues of organizing joint work within crime investigation teams or other forms of international cooperation in parallel investigations of criminal activities of transnational organized criminal groups in the territory of the two states.
“Uzbekistan supported the initiative to study the issues of setting up joint investigation teams for conducting parallel investigations in the two countries, the rapid exchange of data on bank payment cards used in criminal activity and other tools for committing cybercrimes. During the meeting, Deputy Head of the Directorate of Digital Development of the Preliminary Investigation of the Central Office of the Investigative Committee Sergei Gamko presented the department’s best practices in suppressing the activities of an international criminal organization, whose leaders and participants fraudulently seized funds in an especially large amount of citizens of Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The visit was a convincing confirmation of the high level and productivity of cooperation between law enforcement agencies of Belarus and Uzbekistan in the fight against transnational crime, the ministry said.
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