An underground tunnel has been discovered in Batken Region on the border with Uzbekistan, which, according to preliminary data, may have been used for the illegal movement of goods. An inspection is being carried out in connection with the discovery.
WHERE THE TUNNEL WAS DISCOVERED
According to 24.kg citing the Internal Affairs Department (UVD) of Batken Region, officers from the service for combating extremism and illegal migration received information about the construction of a tunnel in the border area for the illegal movement of goods.
During an inspection of an abandoned house on Mamazhanov Street in the village of Chechelik, Iskhak-Polotkhan rural district, Kadamjay District, police officers discovered an underground tunnel leading towards the neighbouring state.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE TUNNEL
The depth of the discovered tunnel is about 12 metres, and its width is 1.5 metres.
It is noted that the tunnel may have been used for the illegal movement of goods across the state border.
The investigative service of the department is conducting an inquiry into the discovery of the tunnel.
CONTEXT
Similar incidents on the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border have been recorded before. In 2024, Kyrgyz law enforcement agencies reported the discovery of several underground tunnels in Jalal-Abad Region and on the territory of Andijan Region of Uzbekistan. According to law enforcement agencies, such structures were used for the illegal movement of goods and crossing the state border.
The topic of underground tunnels on the border with Uzbekistan has also appeared in Kazakhstani practice. In December 2024, on the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan border, law enforcement agencies eliminated a tunnel which, according to the prosecutor's office of Turkistan Region, was used for the smuggling of petroleum products. In August 2025, a court found the organiser of this scheme guilty and sentenced him to 15 years in prison.
WHAT FBRK HAS PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED ABOUT TOBACCO SMUGGLING
FBRK previously released a series of investigations into Kazakhstan's illegal tobacco market. In two instalments, the editorial team reported on the scale of the grey market, which is estimated to cover up to 20% of cigarette sales, as well as the supply routes of smuggled products, including the Kyrgyz direction.
A separate instalment was devoted to the case of Sergei Buri — a subject of an investigation into an alleged transnational tobacco smuggling scheme who was extradited from Russia. Details are available on the FBRK YouTube channel:
