US embassy cables: Mafia boss fixes Uzbekistan tenders, embassy told (original) (raw)

Friday, 05 May 2006, 12:59
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000902
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL
EO 12958 DECL: 05/05/2016
TAGS KCRM, PGOV, ECON, PREL, PINR, UZ
SUBJECT: (S) MAFIA BOSS FIXES GOU TENDERS AND JOBS
REF: TASHKENT 465
TASHKENT 00000902 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D)

1. (S) Summary: XXXXXXXXXXXX

6. (S) Comment: XXXXXXXXXXXX's role in securing GOU tenders and jobs sheds further light on the close connections between organized crime and the GOU (reftel). Corruption is rampant in the GOU. Tenders and government positions can be fairly easily secured by paying the right amount of money to the appropriate individual, leading to a situation in which unqualified individuals have every incentive to engage in further corrupt activity to pay off the large debts they usually incur making down payments on the jobs. PURNELL