A fatal traffic accident on Al-Farabi Avenue in Almaty, after which police chiefs were dismissed, drew attention to the circle of the former deputy head of the Almaty Police Department (DP). Against this backdrop, details emerged about the past of his relative, who had been implicated in a criminal case.
WHAT IS KNOWN
According to the Telegram channel 'Exit to the Sea', the younger brother of the former deputy head of the Almaty Police Department, Yerzhan Uzabayev — Yerlan Uzabayev — was previously implicated in a criminal case involving smuggling.
According to data from leaks, in May 2008 he was placed on the international wanted list by law enforcement agencies of Kyrgyzstan as a person who had fled from the investigation. The search materials indicate that the location of the alleged crime is the 'Aukhatty' checkpoint in the Zhambyl Region. The details of the case are not specified.
Later, Yerlan Uzabayev was removed from the wanted list. This may indicate the closure of the criminal case, but there is no official confirmation of this.
THE SMUGGLING CASE
In the spring of 2008, Kazakhstan investigated a case of smuggling through the 'Aukhatty' checkpoint. Officers of the National Security Committee (KNB) detained members of an organised group, among whom were also customs officials.
Among those implicated was the deputy head of the Anti-Smuggling Department of the Customs Control Committee, Mukhtar Salmenbayev, who was suspected of providing patronage.
In 2010, the group members were found guilty by the court and received sentences of 4 to 6 years in prison. Yerlan Uzabayev was not among those convicted.
CONTEXT
Information about the relative began to be discussed following the dismissal of Yerzhan Uzabayev amid the high-profile traffic accident in Almaty.
The accident occurred on the night of 21 March 2026 on Al-Farabi Avenue. A Zeekr car drove into the oncoming lane and collided with a Mercedes, resulting in the deaths of three people.
After the accident, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) removed several senior officers from their posts. Criminal cases have also been opened and an internal investigation has been launched.
The accident sparked public outcry and once again raised the issue of ongoing road safety risks in Almaty, despite a reduction in overall road traffic fatalities.