Weed from America: Kazakh security officers suspected in bizarre smuggling plot

The Almaty Prosecutor’s Office has arrested 20 people in connection with a large-scale drugs smuggling operation involving shipments from the U.S. to Kazakhstan.

Among those detained are two officers from the National Security Committee (KNB) and three from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who allegedly assisted in the trafficking scheme.

Prosecutors said 25 packages containing drugs, totaling 43 kilograms, were seized at a city customs post.

«A convict serving a prison sentence organized a route for delivering packages containing marijuana and cannabis extract from the U.S. to Almaty,» the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. «The organizer, handlers, patrons, droppers, dealers and packagers were all involved in the criminal activity.»

Authorities also confiscated assets allegedly obtained through criminal means, including five apartments, three buildings, ten plots of land and 44 vehicles.

The case was filed in court in late September. Under Kazakh law, the transportation and distribution of drugs on an especially large scale by an organized group using official positions carries a penalty of 15 to 20 years in prison and confiscation of property.