FBRK.KZ

The Mangistau Regional Court has found the participants of a transnational organised group, operating through the internet drug shop “DUNE OPERATOR,” guilty. Four defendants have been sentenced to between 16 and 18 years in prison. During the investigation, over 2 billion tenge in cash was seized and property worth more than 100 million tenge was frozen. Funds and luxury-class vehicles have been confiscated in favour of the state. The sentences have not yet come into legal force.

The Supreme Audit Chamber of the Republic of Kazakhstan has identified financial irregularities totalling 51 billion tenge in the Kostanay region as part of a state audit. The inspection covered key areas, including healthcare and public procurement. In particular, there was an overvaluation of medical equipment costing 200 million tenge, as well as breaches of procurement procedures and indications of inefficient use of budget funds.

The Government of Kazakhstan has announced the development of a plan for the advancement of agricultural science, aimed at increasing its efficiency and aligning it with the needs of business. The information is contained in a response from Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin to a request from Majilis deputy Tilektes Adambekov.

JSC NC "KazMunayGas" has suspended its joint project with LUKOIL to develop the Kalakmas-sea and Khazar fields in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea due to sanctions against the Russian company. The project, with investments of approximately $6.4 billion and planned production of up to 4 million tonnes of oil per year, was at the preparatory stage for a final investment decision.

In Kazakhstan, the procedure for submitting and reviewing applications for prospecting licences has been updated. The changes clarify the digital procedures for providing the service and introduce additional procedural mechanisms.

The court in Petropavlovsk terminated the criminal case against Alexander Bryzgalin, accused under Article 172 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, after confirmation of his death. The court established that the case should not have been brought to trial and pointed to violations on the part of the investigating authorities, sending the materials to the National Security Committee of the North Kazakhstan Region for review.

In Astana, a Mercedes-Benz S450, confiscated from Perizat Kairat, has been put up for sale. Its value is estimated at 79.4 million tenge, while the option of transferring it to state bodies is also being considered. The car is part of a list of property seized following a court sentence. Kairat was sentenced to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property, and her mother to 7 years. Other cars and property have also been seized in connection with the case.

The Financial Monitoring Agency reports a new fraudulent scheme in which criminals use deepfake videos imitating an official representative and create fake AFM websites. Users are offered to recover supposedly lost investments, but in the process are asked for additional payments and have their personal data collected. The authority urges citizens to verify information through official sources and not to click on suspicious links.

In Almaty, following a fatal road traffic accident on Al-Farabi Avenue in which three people died, the deputy head of the police department and a number of unit heads have been removed from their posts. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has reported the initiation of several criminal cases, including in connection with the possible illegal issuance of state registration plates and the inaction of an official. The suspected driver of the ZEEKR has been arrested, and it has been established that he was under the influence of a mild amount of alcohol. An internal investigation is underway.

In Astana, a 23-year-old resident has been detained on suspicion of spreading false information and collecting money under a fabricated pretext. According to investigators, he posted a story on Threads about alleged sexual assault during military service and provided details for money transfers.