Since the start of 2026, Kazakhstan has cracked down on 85 human trafficking cases and dismantled nine illegal migration channels. The Interior Ministry reported this following a meeting of interior ministers from the Organization of Turkic States in Astana, according to infohub.kz.
Combating human trafficking and illegal migration was one of the meeting's separate agenda items. The ministry noted that efforts are focused not only on solving such crimes but also on prevention and protecting victims.
Together with the UN International Organization for Migration, Kazakhstan has developed and approved an algorithm for identifying victims of human trafficking.
Interior Minister Yerzhan Sadenov said criminal groups use various schemes to legalize illegal migrants.
"Criminal groups use various schemes to legalize migrants — fake employment, registration at place of stay, forged invitations. Such schemes often cross national borders, so countering them requires joint efforts," Sadenov noted.
Kazakhstan proposed that OTS countries establish a regular exchange of operational information on illegal migration channels, their organizers and transporters, as well as on human trafficking victims.
A separate proposal concerns labor migration. The interior minister called for greater attention to identifying signs of exploitation among labor migrants and for conducting joint operations in this area.
"Our common task is not just to stop individual cases, but to identify the entire chain: from organizers and intermediaries to those directly involved in exploiting people. And most importantly — to identify and protect the victims themselves in time," the minister emphasized.
Earlier, Kursiv wrote that President Qasym-Jomart Toqaev, at a meeting with interior ministers of OTS countries, announced further reform of the law enforcement sector and strengthened cooperation among Turkic states in the field of security. He also announced the creation of the Security Council Apparatus and the upcoming formation of the Halyk Kenesi.