According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in 2022, 188 pawnbrokers-couriers were detained, of which 15 were minors. Last year, the number of detainees doubled: 376 pawnbrokers-couriers, of which 24 were minors.
“Since the beginning of 2024, 35 pawnbrokers-couriers have been detained, 6 of them minors. All detainees have been punished under the Criminal Code,” the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported in response to an official request from the Tengrinews.kz editors.
In Kazakhstan, punishment for pawning drugs is provided for in Article 297 of the Criminal Code – “Illegal production, processing, acquisition, storage, transportation for the purpose of sale, transfer or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues.”
In particular, for small-volume drug trafficking, imprisonment for a term of 5 to 10 years with confiscation of property is provided.
Drug trafficking on a large scale is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 6 to 12 years with confiscation of property.
Drug trafficking committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy, repeatedly, on a particularly large scale, through the use of electronic information resources, in a public place is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 10 to 15 years with confiscation of property.
Drug trafficking committed by a criminal group, as well as the sale of narcotic drugs in educational organizations or to a person known to be a minor, is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 15 to 20 years or life imprisonment, with confiscation of property.
The most popular synthetic drugs in Kazakhstan, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, are methcathinone (aka mephedrone, “mef”) and α-PVP (“salt,” “speed”).
Anti-leaders in the spread of “synthetics” among the regions are Astana, Almaty and Almaty region.
Portrait of a drug pawnbroker in Kazakhstan
As reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the portrait of a drug pawnbroker in our country has changed significantly in recent years.
“The main part are drug users who work as pawnbrokers for the sake of constant access to drugs. A certain number of drug pawnbrokers are young people with a small income, without education and permanent work. They, as a rule, initially do not plan to stay in the criminal business for a long time. However, due to easy money, such people remain in the drug business, often trying to organize drug production or an online store,” the ministry said.
As reported above, teenagers are also found among drug pawners. The police believe that minors fall into this area due to a lack of control on the part of adults, a desire for “quick money,” as well as low legal literacy and culture. The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not provide accurate statistics on this category of drug pawners.
Let us remind you that last year alone, over 40 teenagers were detained for the distribution of synthetic drugs in Kazakhstan. In January 2024, four minors were brought to justice.
Kazakhstan entered the top 10 countries for drug consumption, taking 8th place. On average, according to analysts, Kazakhstanis lose 3.7 years of healthy, fulfilling life due to drug use. The United Arab Emirates and Denmark have the same indicators, which are located in the 9th and 10th positions of the ranking, respectively.
