A fresh discovery along the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border has drawn attention from law enforcement as an additional underground passage was found, extending about 350 meters. The finding was disclosed by the press service of Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, underscoring ongoing efforts to curb illicit border activity in the region.
The ministry reported that a substantial excavated tunnel stretches from Bek-Abad village directly toward Uzbek territory. The entrance to the passage sits inside the home of a local resident, a detail that highlights how smugglers have relied on civilian spaces to conceal risky routes. At a depth of roughly 12.5 meters, the tunnel runs a full 350 meters and connects to the Namangan region in Uzbekistan, illustrating the deliberate effort to exploit cross-border terrain for unlawful travel and trade.
The ministry added that an electrical system has been installed within the tunnel, a sign that the route was prepared to support illegal border crossings and the movement of restricted goods. The presence of power indicates a level of planning and investment aimed at maintaining functionality that would enable operations beyond regular oversight or security checks.
Earlier reports describe a separate tunnel project, a 130-meter-long enterprise that was dug beneath the border by a resident of a nearby village. The owner of the house involved in that operation was detained by authorities associated with the state security service, who are currently investigating the full scope of the smuggling scheme and clarifying all conditions surrounding the case.
There are also mentions of a larger, historical pattern involving multiple tunnels uncovered in other regions. One article notes that near a monastery in the Astrakhan region, authorities documented twelve to fourteen large, man-made passageways in a separate incident, underscoring a broader challenge that borders and law enforcement agencies face when confronting underground smuggling networks across Russia and neighboring areas.