8 June 2026, at the Karasu road checkpoint in the Zhambyl region, an attempt to illegally import 360,000 packets of cigarettes into Kazakhstan was prevented. The preliminary value of the seized products exceeds 180 million tenge.
WHAT HAPPENED
A large batch of tobacco products was discovered in a lorry at the Karasu checkpoint. The cigarettes were hidden in specially equipped compartments within the vehicle.
The attempt to illegally move the goods was thwarted by officers of the Border Service of the National Security Committee (BS NSC).
HOW MUCH PRODUCT WAS SEIZED
Hidden in the lorry's compartments were 360,000 packets of cigarettes.
According to preliminary estimates, the value of the seized products is more than 180 million tenge. The confiscated tobacco products have been handed over to the relevant authority for further investigation.
HOW MANY SIMILAR CASES HAVE BEEN DETECTED SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR
Since the beginning of 2026, BS NSC officers have prevented 93 instances of illegal tobacco transportation.
The total value of the products seized in these cases amounted to 386 million tenge.
WHAT FBRK HAS PREVIOUSLY FOUND OUT ABOUT TOBACCO SMUGGLING
FBRK previously released a series of investigations into Kazakhstan's illegal tobacco market. In two editions, the editorial team reported on the scale of the grey market, which estimates suggest could account for up to 20% of cigarette sales, as well as the supply routes for smuggled products, including the Kyrgyz direction.
A separate edition was dedicated to the case of Sergei Buri, a subject of the investigation into an alleged transnational tobacco smuggling scheme, extradited from Russia. Details are on the FBRK YouTube channel: