(5 March 2026 | Source: Hronika.kz)
The criminal case concerning the large-scale smuggling of cigarettes across the state border has concluded in Aktobe. The court found ten people guilty, including border service officers and civilian participants in the scheme.
HOW THE SMUGGLING SCHEME OPERATED
As reported by Hronika.kz, the criminal scheme operated from January to August 2024. The organisers devised a plan to illegally import cigarettes from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through the territory of Turkmenistan into Kazakhstan, and then to other countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
According to the verdict, the damage to the state amounted to 7 billion 358 million 700 thousand tenge.
Containers of cigarettes were delivered to the neutral zone between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. At night, cargo trucks crossed the border through the service gates of the 'Dalya' border outpost, where drivers hitched the containers and transported them into the territory of Kazakhstan, bypassing customs control.
Falsified documents were used to conceal the illegal activity. These documents listed the inactive company Diamir Trans LTD LLP as the consignee. After crossing the border, the cigarettes were delivered to an industrial base in Aktau, where they were reloaded and sent to buyers in Kazakhstan and Russia.
WHAT ROLE DID BORDER SERVICE OFFICERS PLAY
The investigation established that certain officers from border units ensured the unimpeded passage of trucks across the border. According to case materials, they switched off CCTV cameras and radar stations at the outpost, removed border patrols from their posts, and opened the service gates for the vehicles to enter.
According to the verdict, a key role in organising the scheme was played by Olzhas Yerlanov, head of the training outpost of the Border Service Academy of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan (BS NSC).
The case also involved military personnel:
- Yerbolat Bekkasym — captain of the 'Temir Baba' border post;
- Dias Berikbosynov — head of the 'Dalya' border post;
- Galymzhan Tukbai — deputy head of this unit.
Drivers Zhandos Rakhimbayev, Kairat Kemalov, Nail Koishinov, and Yerkin Kuvatov were brought in to transport the cigarettes.
Also involved in the scheme were Nurzhan Aitpayev and Aslan Dzhumataev, who accompanied the cargo to the industrial base in Aktau.
WHAT SENTENCES DID THE COURT HAND DOWN
The court found all participants in the scheme guilty and imposed various sentences.
- Nurzhan Aitpayev and Aslan Dzhumataev received 1 year and 5 months' imprisonment, but the sentence was reduced under an amnesty, and the imposed punishment was considered served.
- Zhandos Rakhimbayev and Kairat Kemalov were sentenced to 9 months' restriction of liberty with confiscation of property.
- Nail Koishinov and Yerkin Kuvatov received 6 months' restriction of liberty.
- Olzhas Yerlanov received 1 year and 6 months' imprisonment, but the sentence was reduced to 9 months under amnesty, and the punishment was considered served.
- Yerbolat Bekkasym received 1 year in a minimum-security colony, but was released after the sentence was reduced under amnesty.
- Dias Berikbosynov was sentenced to 5 years' imprisonment.
- Galymzhan Tukbai received 4.5 years' imprisonment.
Subsequently, the Criminal Judicial Panel of the Military Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan amended some of the decisions. The conditions for serving sentences were eased for Berikbosynov and Tukbai, who were assigned to minimum-security facilities.
Furthermore, the panel completely exonerated Aitpayev and Dzhumataev from punishment due to the amnesty. The sentences for a number of other convicted individuals were also reduced.