Staff from the North Kazakhstan Region Police Department (NKPD), together with the border service of the National Security Committee (NSC), have shut down a supply channel for precursors that were being imported under the guise of household chemicals.
During the special operation, 3 tonnes of precursors and 200 kg of finished drugs were seized, with a market value estimated at 5 billion tenge.
HOW THE SUPPLY CHANNEL WAS DETECTED
Law enforcement agencies identified the scheme for importing precursors at the ‘Zhana Zhol’ checkpoint. After detecting the cargo, police tracked the subsequent supply chain, which allowed them to locate the points of use.
The materials do not specify which country the imports came from or how long the scheme had been operating.
DISMANTLING OF LABORATORIES
As a result of operational measures, two drug laboratories located in the Akmola Region and the Almaty Region were dismantled. A number of individuals have been detained on suspicion of drug production.
According to police, those arrested could face penalties of up to life imprisonment. The exact number of detainees and their roles in the scheme have not been disclosed.
VOLUME OF SEIZED SUBSTANCES
During the operation, approximately 3 tonnes of precursors and around 200 kg of synthetic drugs, ready for distribution, were seized. According to police, the market value of the confiscated items is around 5 billion tenge.
It is also reported that the entry of over 600,000 single doses of synthetic drugs onto the market was prevented.
CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
Previously, the FBRK had noted that certain chemical components used in agriculture and disinsection could be of interest for the illegal production of synthetic drugs.
At the same time, official data on the current case does not clarify whether the confiscated precursors are linked to such sources.