Police in the Kostanay region detained a group of five poachers in the village of Lesnoye, Fedorov District after another hunting expedition.
According to Polisia.kz, they used six snowmobiles and five off-road vehicles to transport weapons and animal carcasses, as well as a drone, two-way radios and a thermal imaging device.
During a search of the vehicles, law enforcement officers found the butchered carcasses of four Siberian roe deer. During searches in Rudny and surrounding areas, unregistered hunting rifles, cartridges of various calibres, lynx and wolf pelts, saiga antlers, and the heads and meat of wild animals were seized.
"According to the testimony of those detained, the group organised regular trips to forested areas to hunt wild animals. After the kill, the criminals butchered the carcasses and transported the meat away", the statement said.
One of the incidents involved hunting a female wolf, whose pelt, according to the suspects, was planned to be used for making a custom-made rug. In addition, the frozen carcass of a wolf, intended for taxidermy, was seized from the perpetrators.
Police are conducting a pre-trial investigation into the illegal hunting incident.
"Full details of the composition of the criminal group and their roles in organising the poaching are being established. A possible link between the group and similar crimes is also being investigated", the statement said.
Earlier, in the Zhusandala protected zone of the Zhambyl district, Almaty region, a group of poachers was detained, among whom was an employee of the Kurtinsky forestry enterprise.
The forest ranger acted with three accomplices. In the suspect's work vehicle, the carcass of a goitered gazelle (listed in the Red Data Book), three hares, rifles, cartridges, a searchlight, and a knife were found.