Southern Kazakhstan’s Shadow Economy: 200 Billion Tenge Allegedly Moved Abroad

The Turkestan Regional Prosecutor’s Office uncovered three major alleged criminal schemes. Authorities say around 200 billion tenge was transferred abroad through shell companies, truck drivers were extorted at the border and officials received bribes, while cigarettes were smuggled into Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan, Orda.kz reports.

The largest case involves the alleged illegal transfer of funds. The Department of Economic Investigations, working under the coordination of the prosecutor’s office, found that around 200 billion tenge had been transferred to neighboring and more distant countries through shell companies. The case is being investigated under Article 235-1 of the Criminal Code.

The prosecutor’s office also dismantled a suspected criminal group operating near the border. The group allegedly extorted money from truck drivers, while some of the proceeds from its illegal intermediary services were paid to officials as bribes. Investigators identified 23 people allegedly involved in the scheme, five of whom are in custody.

The third case involves tobacco smuggling. Cigarettes were allegedly brought into Kazakhstan illegally from Kyrgyzstan and sold in the Turkestan Region and western Kazakhstan. Law enforcement officers seized tobacco products worth 103 million tenge.

Original author: Ruslan Loginov

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