VZCZCXRO5538
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK
RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHPW
RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTA #1171/01 1940906
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 130906Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5776
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 1731
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1098
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1800
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0766
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFAAA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 1282
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 1199
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHAST/USOFFICE ALMATY 1682
RUEAWJL/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC 0022

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ASTANA 001171 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL/AAE, SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SNAR KCRM KZ
SUBJECT:  KAZAKHSTAN:  DRUG AND CRIME UPDATE 
 
ASTANA 00001171  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  Drug seizures in Kazakhstan increased by 75% during 
the first quarter of 2009 while drug-related crimes dropped almost 
2%.  Prime Minister Masimov criticized law enforcement efforts to 
combat drug trafficking and called for the establishment of an 
interagency unit to arrest government officials tied to drug 
traffickers.  END SUMMARY. 
 
STATISTICS 
 
¶2.  According to government statistics, the number of drug-related 
crimes during the first quarter of 2009 dropped 1.6% to 2,871.  The 
number of people involved in drug-related crimes also dropped, from 
1,863 to 1,761.  In total, law enforcement agencies seized over 2.5 
metric tons of drugs, a 75.3% increase from the same period last 
year.  The seized drugs include over 2 metric tons of marijuana, 221 
kilos of hashish, 238 kilos of heroin, and 1.25 kilos of opium.  The 
total number of registered drug addicts dropped slightly from 55,781 
to 54,868.  More than 62% (33,975) were users of heroin and opium 
and nearly 22% (11,867) were users of marijuana and hashish.  The 
number of female addicts dropped 3.6% to 4,598 and the number of 
underage addicts decreased 7.8%.  An estimated 1,500 people died of 
drug overdoses last year. 
 
¶3.  On April 9, Zhanat Suleimenov, newly appointed Chairman of the 
Committee on Combating Drugs (KBN) of the Ministry of Interior 
(MVD), reported on the MVD's accomplishments during the first 
quarter of 2009.  The MVD disrupted drug rings operated by nine 
organized criminal groups, detected over 1,600 drug-related crimes, 
and stopped 23 drug-trafficking attempts.  The MVD seized more than 
1.3 metric tons of narcotics during the first quarter, a five-fold 
increase from the same period last year.  The Committee for National 
Security (KNB) shut down 18 drug routes and six criminal groups. 
Over the three month period, the KNB seized 150 kilos of heroin. 
 
 
¶4.  Over the last five years, over two thousand foreign citizens 
were detained for drug trafficking, including 836 from Russia, 719 
from Kyrgyzstan, 602 from Uzbekistan, 79 from Tajikistan, 42 from 
Turkmenistan, and 26 from Ukraine. 
 
CURRENT PROBLEMS... 
 
¶5.  As early as October 2008, President Nazarbayev voiced concerns 
about the possibility of increased crime due to the financial crisis 
and tasked the MVD with ensuring public order and combating 
organized crime and drug trafficking.  Though there has been in 
increase in unemployment, there has not been a significant increase 
in crime.  Many though continue to fear that unemployed construction 
workers -- a group which includes a large number of migrants from 
neighboring countries -- will join criminal gangs. 
 
¶6.  There are many factors which make Kazakhstan vulnerable to drug 
trafficking, including measures to expedite the import and export of 
licit goods, poorly equipped borders, and the presence of large 
cities near the borders.  It is suspected that traffickers are 
increasingly using the TIR (UN Convention on International Transit) 
system to transport narcotics in seemingly sealed trucks. 
Traffickers are also heavily relying on the rail system to transit 
through Kazakhstan.  During the past year, many seizures of 
narcotics from Afghanistan were made on Kazakhstan's border with 
Russia.  Border guards, customs officers, and police continue to use 
mobile patrols for operations in the south in response to this 
problem. 
 
¶7.  Funding for law enforcement has been insufficient.  Initially 
16.8 billion tenge (150 tenge = $1) was allocated for 
counter-narcotics programs through 2011.  However this amount was 
cut by 93% in August 2008, leaving only 1.2 billion tenge.  The 225 
million tenge allocated to the MVD for anti-narcotics programs in 
2009 was reduced by 45 million. 
 
...AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS 
 
ASTANA 00001171  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶8.  On March 31, Prime Minister Masimov proposed the establishment 
of a special interagency unit under either the MVD or the KNB to 
ferret out law enforcement and government officials with ties to 
narco-trafficking.  The Prime Minister has a renewed interest in 
stopping narco-trafficking after having apparently been informed by 
his Russian counterpart that trafficking through Kazakhstan could 
threaten the establishment of the Customs Union with Russia and 
Belarus. 
 
¶9. Nurgali Belisbekov, Deputy Head of the KNB, proposed securing the 
southern border in a similar manner to the Kazakhstani-Chinese 
border, with a secured green zone between countries.  Currently 
there is no green zone between Kazakhstan and its neighbors in the 
south, allowing for a great deal of undetected, illegal movement 
over the borders.  Belisbekov also suggested designating certain 
checkpoints on the Kyrgyz border only for passengers or cargo -- the 
Korday checkpoint would handle cargo and the Karasu checkpoint 
passengers.  Customs Control Committee Chairman Kozy-Korpesh 
Karbuzov reported at the same meeting that there are 41 roads on 
which one can cross the Kazakhstani-Kyrgyz border without crossing a 
checkpoint.  (NOTE:  Post has previously heard of a similar number 
of crossing points on the border with Uzbekistan.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶10.  Kazakhstani law enforcement continues to improve its 
relationship with its neighbors in order to better fight 
narco-trafficking.  The KNB has been working with Kyrgyzstan, 
Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan both bilaterally and as members of the 
Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center (CARICC). 
 Kazakhstan has also strengthened cooperation with Afghanistan, 
Pakistan, Iran and China.  For example, China and Kazakhstan 
conducted the Safari-Transit Operation, during which eighteen 
Nigerian traffickers were arrested. 
 
¶11.  The MVD Counternarcotics Committee (KBN) reported that the use 
of controlled deliveries (operations used to identify traffickers 
and their routes)  has been very successful.  In 2008, the KBN 
conducted 29 special operations, including 12 international 
operations.  Five of the operations were conducted jointly with the 
Kyrgyzstan and Russia and two with Tajikistan.  These controlled 
delivery operations resulted in a seizure of 689 kilos, including 89 
kilos of heroin. 
 
¶12.  CARICC is also doing much to increase cooperation and is 
helping to organize joint operations, including controlled delivery 
operations.  The Center is also organizing the collection and 
analysis of information.  On March 22, the Agreement on 
Establishment of CARICC entered into force. CARICC is available on 
the internet at www.caricc.org. 
 
¶13.  The first meeting of CARICC's National Coordinators Council was 
held on February 26, during which a list of activities for the next 
two years was drawn up.  The Council expressed its willingness to 
grant observer status to France, Finland, Italy, the United States, 
and Interpol.  The Council also appointed Kazakhstan's Interior 
Minister to be Chairman of the Council.  Beksultan Sarsekov, CARICC 
Director, stated that CARICC will analyze the drug situation in the 
region and propose improvements of national legislation and 
implementation of drug demand reduction measures, working with civil 
society and drug treatment centers. 
 
NEW ROUTES 
 
¶14.  With the Border Guard Service focused on strengthening the 
Kazakhstani-Uzbek border, some traffickers moved to the 
Kazakhstani-Kyrgyz border.  A joint Kazakhstani-Kyrgyz operation 
blocked a route between the two countries and found many more drug 
mules swallowing heroin.  During the operation, law enforcement 
officers found 200 5-gram packets in an apartment in Bishkek.  Two 
Kyrgyzstanis and two Azerbaijanis, some believed to be at the head 
of the drug ring, were arrested. 
 
 
ASTANA 00001171  003.2 OF 004 
 
 
¶15.  One of the main trafficking routes through Kazakhstan and 
Russia transits Almaty, Karaganda, Semey, Novosibirsk, Barnaul, and 
Omsk. 
 
¶16.  According to the MVD, a kilo of heroin that costs $700 in 
Afghanistan goes up to $1,500 on the Afghan-Tajik border, and to 
$4,000 in Kazakhstan.  On the Kazakhstani-Russian border that same 
kilo can cost $20,000, increase to $25,000 in Russia, and ultimately 
be sold for over $30,000 in Europe. 
 
SELECTED SEIZURES 
 
¶17.  The Division on Combating Drugs of the Zhambyl Department of 
Interior arrested a group attempting to barter 835 grams of 
high-quality Afghan heroin.  The heroin, stamped with "999" 
attesting to its quality, was offered to clients in a shoe box in 
exchange for a $26,000 SUV. 
 
¶18.  On January 26, customs officials on at the Zhanazhol checkpoint 
in the North Kazakhstan Oblast seized 51 kilos of heroin and 110 
kilos of hashish discovered with both a scanner and a canine. The 
narcotics were hidden in the deck of a car transport truck traveling 
from Kyrgyzstan to Lithuania.  The follow-up investigation revealed 
that the Kyrgyz driver was paid $10,000 to transport the drugs to 
Moscow.  The driver was carrying fraudulent identity documents and 
was wanted in Russia for the transportation of five kilos of hashish 
in Tatarstan. 
 
¶19.  On February 4, a drug-sniffing dog found 3.97 kilos of heroin 
and 21.4 kilos of hashish in a vehicle crossing through the Korday 
checkpoint on the Kyrgyzstan border. 
 
¶20.  On February 8, border guards at the Sypatai Batyr section 
detained two Kyrgyzstanis carying 32 kilos of heroin. 
 
¶21.  On February 6, officers at an internal checkpoint outside of 
Astana stopped a vehicle transporting 18 kilos of heroin and 7 kilos 
of hashish into Astana. 
 
¶22.  On February 11, border guards arrested a Kazakhstani attempting 
to smuggle 23 kilos of heroin into Russia through the Uba checkpoint 
in eastern Kazakhstan.  The drugs, first detected by a canine and 
then found using an endoscope, were in twelve two-liter plastic 
bottles in a vehicle's gas tank. 
 
¶23.  On March 30, police in Taraz in Zhambyl Oblast arrested a 
marijuana producer in his apartment.  The police seized equipment, 
40 kilos of marijuana, and seven kilo of hashish from the apartment. 
 The producer faces 10 to 15 years in prison. 
 
¶24.  On April 6, police working at the Kyzyltu internal checkpoint 
in South Kazakhstan Oblast arrested a Russian with one kilo of 
heroin taped to his body. 
 
CORRUPTION 
 
¶25.  Three cases of police involvement in drug-crimes were reported 
during the first quarter of 2009.  The Aktobe Department of the KNB, 
working jointly with the KNB in the Mangystau Oblast, arrested five 
people transporting 44.6 kilos of marijuana.  One member of the 
group is an MVD officer in the Aktobe Oblast. 
 
¶26.  A police officer in the Almaty Oblast, who was Head of the 
Criminal Police in the town of Tekeli, was distributing drugs 
through his girlfriend.  She was arrested in October and was 
sentenced to 10 years in prison.  The officer fled and is being 
actively sought by police. 
 
¶27.  Customs officers at the Kyzylzhar post in North Kazakhstan 
Oblast were providing previously seized narcotics to "false 
couriers" in order to improve their seizure statistics.  One customs 
officer at the same post was video-taped by the KNB exchanging 
 
ASTANA 00001171  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
narcotics for tires and other goods. 
 
HOAGLAND