In the village of Zhanakala in the Bukhar-Zhyrau district, officers from the Karaganda Regional Police Department, coordinated by the regional prosecutor's office, have shut down a clandestine drug laboratory. The production of the synthetic drug mephedrone was stopped as part of operational search activities, during which around a tonne of chemical precursors and more than 500 grammes of the finished narcotic substance were seized.
The operation culminated in the detention of a 38-year-old resident of the Almaty region, who has been placed in custody. A criminal case has been initiated regarding the illegal production of drugs, reported Negmet Ismagulov, head of the Karaganda Regional Police Department.
This case marks the second major discovery of a drug laboratory in the region since the beginning of this year. Earlier, in the village of Asyl, law enforcement officers halted the operations of a similar underground facility. During that special operation, around 200 kilogrammes of drugs and professional equipment used for their manufacture were seized. Two individuals originally from Almaty — a 25-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman — were detained on suspicion of involvement in the illegal activity.
The operational work of law enforcement has prevented a significant quantity of narcotic substances from reaching the illegal market. Investigative actions are currently ongoing. Law enforcement officers are working to identify all individuals involved in the organisation and operation of these clandestine laboratories. Particular attention is being paid to uncovering the supply channels for chemical precursors and the distribution of the finished product.
The Karaganda Regional Police Department emphasises that combating drug crime remains a priority area in the work of law enforcement agencies. Efforts to detect and suppress the illegal trafficking of narcotic drugs are carried out systematically and consistently as part of implementing the 'Law and Order' principle.
It will be recalled that previously, police in the Almaty region shut down the country's largest clandestine laboratory for producing synthetic drugs, located on the premises of a farm in the Talgar district. During searches, 100 kg of finished synthetic drugs and more than 8 tonnes of chemical substances used in their production were discovered.