Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov chaired a meeting of the Republican Headquarters for Coordinating the Activities of State Bodies on Drug Addiction Prevention and Countering Drug Crime.

Reports were delivered by Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balaeva, Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov, leadership of the General Prosecutor’s Office, Ministries of Justice, Education, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, as well as akims of several regions.

The meeting reviewed efforts to suppress drug-related crimes, improve mechanisms to counter the illegal drug trade using digital solutions, and implement measures to prevent drug addiction among minors and protect young people from involvement in drug crime, particularly during the summer period.

Olzhas Bektenov emphasized that work to combat drug crime is under the special control of the Head of State and requires further strengthening in light of modern methods of drug distribution.

“The Constitution enshrines life, the health of the nation, and responsibility to future generations as the highest values. In this regard, the spread and use of drugs is a challenge to all our citizens, especially the youth,” Olzhas Bektenov stressed.

Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov reported that 71 measures from the comprehensive plan to combat drug addiction have been implemented. As a result:

• More than 1,200 drug crimes were suppressed;
• 6 organized criminal groups were eliminated, including one transnational group;
• 5,000 internet resources were blocked through the “Cyber Oversight” system;
• The anti-fraud center suspended transactions worth over 100 million tenge;
• About half a ton of synthetic drugs were seized — twice the figure from last year — along with over 11,000 precursors (potentially sufficient for 1,500 synthetic drugs);
• Nearly 100 cases of illegal trafficking in potent substances were identified;
• More than 1,500 cylinders and 2 tanker trucks with nitrous oxide, known as “laughing gas,” were seized.

Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balaeva reported that comprehensive work is being carried out in several areas based on the “Law and Order” principle. Monitoring of the information activities of local executive bodies on key public safety issues, including the fight against drug addiction, is ongoing. Since the beginning of the year, over 4,500 illegal materials have been removed from social networks and messengers. Within the framework of the “MERGEN” project, which uses artificial intelligence to detect viral content related to narcotic substances, more than 22,000 units of digital content were processed and over 6,100 drug shops were blocked, which helped limit drug propaganda on the internet.

Attention was paid to countering online drug trafficking, identifying shadow financial flows, and creating an interstate digital platform.

Deputy Prosecutor General Yerlan Utegenov reported on the work of the National Interagency Targeting Center, which carries out monitoring, analytical data processing, and interagency information exchange. Since the Center’s establishment in October 2025, materials on 78 cases involving risks of illegal import and trafficking of precursors have been sent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, along with 33 notifications of drug threats and the revocation of 23 licensing and permitting documents. As a result, 23.3 tons of precursors were withdrawn from circulation.

The legislative framework is being improved. Minister of Justice Yerlan Sarsembayev reported that since 2025, penalties for a number of crimes related to drug trafficking have been tightened, and administrative liability for non-medical use of narcotic drugs has been introduced. The current list includes 94 items. New methodologies are currently being developed for several potent substances and for conducting examinations.

Minister of Education Zhuldyz Suleimenova reported that through the Unified Education Program “Adal Azamat,” measures are being implemented for legal education, fostering financial responsibility, and developing civic engagement. “Safety Lessons” have been introduced in schools, where students discuss the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, psychoactive substances, and drug use and distribution. More than 360,000 teachers, including class teachers, educators, educational psychologists, and social educators, are involved in preventive work in educational institutions. Special attention is paid to interaction with families at risk. Centers for pedagogical support for parents operate in all schools — 315,000 events have been held for them, covering 3.5 million people.

Following the meeting of the Headquarters, the Prime Minister noted that new psychoactive substances are appearing on the global market, creating additional challenges in the fight against drugs. In this regard, the Head of Government issued a number of instructions.

First. The Ministry of Finance, together with the Border Service of the National Security Committee, must strengthen control over the import of chemical substances and dual-use products, and review the inspection procedures for such goods.

“Most precursors have dual use, and some are imported into the country illegally. Actively introduce elements of digitalization and artificial intelligence,” the Prime Minister emphasized, instructing to make changes to the list of goods included in the risk management system to suppress smuggling of goods and cargo.

Second. Attention was paid to hidden financial operations conducted by criminal organizations using cryptocurrencies and other digital tools.

“The authorized bodies are instructed to develop a specialized program for identifying and blocking suspicious financial transactions related to cryptocurrencies. By analogy with the anti-fraud center of the National Bank. The program should include a register of suspicious details, accounts, and cryptocurrency wallets involved in drug transactions,” Olzhas Bektenov stressed.

The need to develop a technological tool to block Telegram chats to suppress drug trafficking was also highlighted.

Third. The General Prosecutor’s Office, together with the Agency for Financial Monitoring, the National Bank, Ministries of Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and Digital Development, must submit a coordinated position on the creation of an interstate digital platform within one week.

Fourth. It was instructed to review existing methods of investigating drug crimes, taking into account the use of new technologies.

“We need new approaches. Our law enforcement agencies must take prompt preventive measures. In this regard, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with interested state bodies, is instructed to develop new methods for investigating drug crimes using digital tools and artificial intelligence capabilities. The methods should be considered through the prism of the principles of ‘Law and Order’ and the inevitability of punishment,” the Prime Minister noted.

In this direction, the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Health will promptly update the list of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursors, as well as update the list of potent substances and develop the procedure for their circulation.

Fifth. Akims of the regions were instructed to take personal control over the work of regional headquarters.

Sixth. Attention was focused on the employment and leisure of young people, especially during the vacation period.

“It is necessary to organize ‘job fairs’ with the involvement of employers and state bodies. Actively involve young people in the environmental campaigns of ‘Taza Kazakhstan’, engage them in various volunteer movements. Make active use of the opportunities of mass sports,” Olzhas Bektenov emphasized.

Seventh. From May 28 to June 26, anti-drug campaigns timed to the International Day Against Drug Abuse (June 26) are being held in Kazakhstan. From June to October, operational preventive measures will be carried out to identify and destroy foci of narcotic plant growth under “Karasora-2026”.

“The Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with interested state bodies, must ensure the holding of an anti-drug month with the active involvement of young people, representatives of non-governmental organizations, bloggers, and prominent personalities. Akimats should actively join in this,” the Prime Minister instructed.

In addition, on the eve of the summer holidays, it was instructed to organize an information and preventive campaign to prevent the involvement of young people in the illegal drug trade.

#Olzhas Bektenov #Civil Society #Digitalization #Ministry of Culture #Ministry of Internal Affairs

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