Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Illegal production of alcohol and tobacco products will become an exclusively criminal offense (now administrative liability is imposed for such an action committed for the first time). Penalties for the production and sale of goods and provision of services that do not meet safety requirements have been increased.

On 15 November, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed amendments to the Code of Administrative Liability (CoAR) and the Criminal Code (CC), aimed at suppressing the production and circulation of counterfeit and low-quality goods.

According to the document, the illegal production of alcohol and tobacco products will become a purely criminal offense. Now such an act, committed for the first time, is an administrative offense, which provides for a sanction of 50-100 sizes of basic estimated value.

After the amendments come into force, sanctions for the illegal production of alcohol and tobacco products will be excluded from the Code of Administrative Offenses. According to the updated article of the Criminal Code, this crime can be punished with a fine of 200-400 sizes of basic estimated value, correctional labor for up to 3 years, restriction of freedom from 3 to 5 years, or imprisonment for up to 5 years.

In addition, penalties have been increased for the production, storage and sale of goods, performance of work or provision of services that do not meet safety requirements.

Along with a fine (100−200 sizes of basic estimated value), public and correctional labor, the sanction will include restriction of liberty for 1−3 years or imprisonment for up to 3 years.

Same steps:

committed on an especially large scale;

committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons;

committed repeatedly or by a dangerous repeat offender;

resulting in moderate or serious bodily injury - will be punished by a fine from 200 to 400 sizes of basic estimated value, restriction or imprisonment from 3 to 5 years.

In the event of a person’s death as a result of these actions, the sentence is from 5 to 7 years in prison (currently 3-7 years). The same actions that resulted in human casualties and other grave consequences will be punishable by 7–12 years in prison (currently 7–10).

The amendments will come into force three months from the date of official publication – on 17 February.