Kazakh police took part in a large-scale international operation to dismantle a drug network that lured people with promises of legal earnings. It turned out that attractive job advertisements concealed involvement in the drug business, and those who tried to leave were severely punished... reports the website infohub.kz.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the criminals sought employees for positions such as call center operators, HR managers, chemists, couriers, logisticians, and warehouse workers. They also recruited so-called "drug couriers" (kladmen).

"Strict rules were in place within the criminal structure. People who tried to refuse criminal activity were fined, beaten, and illegally detained. Behind attractive vacancies was not employment, but involvement in the drug business, from which they were no longer allowed to leave," said Kuanysh Alzhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Countering Drug Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

As law enforcement established, the international structure was organized by a 36-year-old citizen of a neighboring state. The operation to eliminate it lasted more than a year. It involved law enforcement agencies of Ukraine and Albania, the Prosecutor General's Offices of Kazakhstan and Ukraine, Interpol, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

During the investigation, 26 searches were conducted in recruitment call centers in Ukraine, and about 4,000 digital evidence items were seized. Their examination helped to discover 31 drug shops on Telegram, identify the organizers of the scheme and hundreds of recruited people. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan checked their possible involvement in drug distribution in the republic.

In May, 70 more searches were conducted in Kyiv and Kyiv region, during which 27 active members of the criminal community were identified. In July, investigative actions continued in Kazakhstan: 15 searches were conducted and suspects in drug sales were detained.

Another 35 searches took place in five regions of Ukraine and Kyiv. Law enforcement officers eliminated two links of the network responsible for recruitment. They seized 24 kilograms of a mixture with a synthetic drug, more than 3,500 pre-rolled cigarettes, and about 2,000 packaged bags. Seven people were detained, and nine more were charged.

The investigation continues. Law enforcement officers are identifying the organizers and other members of the international network.