Ministry of Internal Affairs

Customs Agency

Inspection of Alcohol and Tobacco Market Regulation of
the Republic of Uzbekistan

Manufacturer

Importer

Retailer

Law ZRU-44, Art 37 (as amended by Law 1098, Art. 3(4)) prohibits the circulation of tobacco products containing harmful substances (which are set out in Resolution No. 290, Appendix 2 and 3). The circulation of prohibited tobacco products is punishable under the Criminal Code and the Code on Administrative Responsibility.  
 

For manufactures and importers, administrative penalties for preparation, acquisition, storage, transportation, import or export of tobacco products containing prohibited contents is a fine ranging from one hundred to two hundred times the base calculation amount, and confiscation of the product.
 

For retailers, administrative penalties for circulation of tobacco products containing prohibited contents is a fine ranging from fifty to one hundred times the base calculation amount, and confiscation of the product.
 

The Criminal Code provides for a range of penalties that are based upon the circumstances of the crime, including the quantity of illegal products, whether administrative penalties have previously been imposed, and whether the offense was committed by an organized group of people or through an official position. These penalties include: fines of 200 to 600 times the base calculation amount, correctional labor for up to three years, restriction of liberty for two to five years, and imprisonment up to 12 years.
 

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 9 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that it imposes sanctions for content regulation violations. 
 

Ministry of Health
Inspection of Alcohol and Tobacco Market Regulation of the Republic of Uzbekistan
 

Manufacturer

Importer

The Code on Administrative Responsibility imposes a fine of 50 to 100 times the base calculation unit (BCU) for illegal circulation of tobacco products, which is interpreted to include circulation of tobacco products without compliance with disclosure requirements. 
 

The law aligns with FCTC Art. 10 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Partial Guidelines in that it imposes sanctions for disclosure requirement violations. To align more fully with FCTC Art. 10 and the FCTC Arts. 9 & 10 Guidelines the law should impose a range of penalties, including increased fines for repeat violations and license suspension and revocation.