Uzbek police officers have detained a woman suspected of involvement in a human trafficking and exploitation case after locating her through a joint operation with Turkish police.

The suspect, 31, had been wanted in connection with a criminal investigation and was believed to have fled the country following the offense. Investigators said she had been residing in Istanbul while evading authorities, The Caspian Post reports via UzDaily.

The operation was carried out by Uzbekistan’s Operational Search Department in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Türkiye.

In 2025, the woman acted together with accomplices in a scheme that forced several women to provide sexual services for financial gain. The allegations are being investigated under Article 135 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code, which covers human trafficking-related offenses.

The suspect was detained during an operation at Tashkent International Airport. Investigators claim she was attempting to arrange the departure of several women from Tashkent to Istanbul for the purpose of further exploitation.