Customs clearance of new mobile phones brought in from abroad has been temporarily suspended at Tashkent International Airport, the Customs Committee said on the evening of Nov. 10, pending clarification of “certain issues related to determining their IMEI identifiers and confirming the legality of their import.”

Press secretary Khusan Tangriev said no ban on importing phones has been imposed, but devices passengers bring in will be temporarily seized. “Phones will be seized on the basis of an official record. Once customs clearance resumes, they will be processed and returned to their owners,” he said. No timeline for resumption was given.

The suspension covers new smartphones and devices whose IMEI codes have not previously been recorded on the networks of Uzbekistan’s mobile operators. It does not apply to tourists.

Tangriev said attempts to abuse duty-free import rules have become more frequent, citing forged IMEI codes, the use of other devices’ identifiers and transfers of data between smartphones. Since the start of 2026, officers at the Tashkent-Aero customs complex have stopped 185 cases involving 1,185 devices worth 8.8 billion soums, he said.

Verifying identifiers requires specialist knowledge and coordination with other government agencies, he said. “The situation will be clarified as soon as possible,” Tangriev said.

Social media posts earlier on Nov. 10 claimed controls had been tightened from Nov. 6, with some phones sent for examinations lasting up to 30 days and expedited processing available for a fee. Passengers said clearing an iPhone 18 Pro Max, which previously cost about $150, now costs about $450 for one-day processing, with fees ranging from $400 to $1,100 depending on the model.

The committee disputed the reports, did not confirm any extra payments and did not explain where the figures came from. It urged passengers to rely on official sources and set up a 24-hour hotline, 1108, for complaints of corruption.

Background: Since May 1, 2025, air passengers may bring in goods worth up to $1,000 duty-free, including no more than two SIM-enabled devices per trip. Excess value is subject to a single 30% payment. Phones bought abroad must be declared and registered in the UzIMEI system.

The committee said 4 million mobile devices were officially imported in January–September, generating 1.6 trillion soums in customs revenue.