Former KNB Border Guard Sentenced for Drug Offenses

The Aqmola Military Court has sentenced a former officer of the National Security Committee’s (KNB) Border Service, Burkut Kairkeshov, to prison for drug-related offenses. Orda.kz obtained details of the court’s verdict and the circumstances of his criminal activities.

Kairkeshov, a native of Yekibastuz, lived and worked in Astana, where he held a senior position in the Border Control Directorate — heading its checkpoint and technical security unit.

In February 2025, police in North Kazakhstan reported the arrest of a 27-year-old border guard involved in drug trafficking during his off-duty hours. Investigators found that he had been purchasing, storing, and transporting large quantities of psychotropic substances.

During the trial, Kairkeshov admitted guilt and described in detail how he became involved in the scheme.

According to case materials, in September 2024, he responded to an online advertisement recruiting couriers.

He contacted a stranger via Telegram using the link in the ad. The stranger offered him work delivering drugs for payment. The defendant, who was facing financial difficulties, agreed. The handler instructed him on how to acquire, store, and transport the substances, as well as on security and concealment methods,  the verdict states.

Kairkeshov rented a garage and a Hyundai Creta in the capital.

On February 8, following his handler’s instructions, he traveled to the village of Jibek-Joly (Aqmola region), where he retrieved a hidden package containing three bundles of psychotropic substances.

I transported 453.38 grams of psychotropic substances from Astana to Petropavlovsk. Upon arrival, I placed them in three caches provided by my supervisor. That same day, on the supervisor’s instructions, I retrieved one plastic bag containing five packages from the cache,  Kairkeshov told investigators.

According to the case file, the packages contained hashish. Some were hidden in his vehicle, one was intended for a drop site in Petropavlovsk, and the rest were to be taken back to Astana.

He was detained before he could complete the delivery.

The officer cooperated with investigators, disclosing the locations of hiding places, drop sites, and related bank accounts used for money transfers.

At trial, Kairkeshov requested leniency. The court recognized his violation of the military oath as an aggravating factor and his newborn child as a mitigating one.

Kairkeshov Burkut Saidalievich is found guilty under paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 of Part 3, Article 297 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He is sentenced to eight years and six months in prison with confiscation of property, announced Judge Adilbek Batyrkhanov of the Aqmola Garrison Military Court.

Although he retained his junior sergeant rank, his mobile phone — bearing a patriotic case with Kazakhstan’s coat of arms — was confiscated as part of the judgment.

Kairkeshov later appealed the verdict, but the Military Court upheld the original sentence.

The ruling has now entered into legal force.

Original Author: Kristina Yusicheva