"Over the last few days, the customs agencies have thwarted illegal attempts to smuggle in several batches of gold and jewellery, weighing 29 kg in total," the press service of the State Customs Committee (SCC) said.

The press service said that customs officers detained a resident of Tashkent in Namangan Region (the Fergana Valley) when he was entering Uzbekistan from Kyrgyzstan. In total, 168 gold bars weighing over 16 kg were found during a search of his Nexia car.

"The gold bars were found in the car transmission," a representative of the customs agency said.

Also, officers of the customs border post in Bekobod District of Tashkent Region have detained two Tajik citizens [women] from whom 13 kg of golden jewellery was seized.