Kazakhstan seizes over 276,000 vapes in crackdown on illegal sales

Kazakhstan is intensifying its crackdown on the illegal vape trade, with authorities seizing more than 276,000 electronic nicotine delivery systems since the start of the year. The Financial Monitoring Agency has stopped 25 cases of illegal vape sales, and 37 criminal cases are currently under investigation, with 14 already sent to court involving 18 individuals. In Astana, a criminal group's operations involving the illicit circulation of vapes were uncovered. The group utilized rented warehouses and offices for storage and conducted sales through online platforms and popular messaging apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Zangi. To obscure their financial activities, they used bank accounts belonging to an individual entrepreneur. The total amount of money transacted through these accounts exceeded 3.2 billion tenge (approximately $7 million USD). Further action was taken in Karaganda Region, where organizers of an online vape store operating via Telegram were sentenced to two years and six months of restricted freedom. This operation involved four warehouses, online operators, and couriers. During searches, approximately 30,000 vapes, valued at 340 million tenge (around $780,000 USD), were confiscated. In Ulytau Region, two local residents were convicted for orchestrating illegal vape sales using a 'dropper scheme' to handle payments through a courier's bank account. Both received sentences of four years of restricted freedom, and their criminal proceeds were ordered confiscated. The Financial Monitoring Agency reiterated that all aspects of the illegal vape trade, from import to sale and money laundering, are subject to criminal prosecution.

“

To conceal the scheme, bank accounts belonging to an individual entrepreneur were used, while buyers were advised to say they had purchased household appliances. The amount of money that passed through the accounts exceeded 3.2 billion tenge.