Police officers in Uzbekistan have stopped an attempt to traffic women abroad after a suspect was detained at the international airport in Tashkent.

The operation was carried out jointly by the State Security Service and internal affairs bodies as part of ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

Investigators say a woman, 24 , from the Bostanlik District recruited several young women under false pretenses, with the intention of sending them to foreign countries for exploitation.

She had recruited four victims, one of whom was intended to be flown to Dubai. The attempt was stopped at the moment of departure, and the suspect was taken into custody.

A criminal case has been opened under human trafficking charges, and pre-trial detention has been imposed. Investigations are ongoing to identify possible wider networks involved.