Police have initiated a crackdown on the illegal export of fuel in the Zhambyl region.

“Employees of the Department of Police of the Zhambyl Region are conducting raids to prevent the illegal export of fuel and lubricants beyond the country’s borders. Police are particularly focused on identifying violations of vehicle operation rules, specifically the installation of additional fuel tanks without the necessary permits,” the statement says.

The press service reported that since the start of the raids under this article, 130 drivers have been brought to justice. Illegally modified vehicles have been placed in a specialized parking lot until the violations are rectified.

According to the Deputy Head of the Department of Police of the Zhambyl Region Baulzhan Zhanaev, illegal modifications to a vehicle’s structure directly impact road safety, and this violation carries an administrative penalty of 58,980 tenge as stipulated in part 7 of Article 590 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (“Operation of a vehicle modified without the appropriate permission”).

On the issue of illegal fuel exports, President Kassym- Tokayev addressed it during an expanded government meeting, raising concerns about tariff formation for energy resources and utility services.

“In almost all CIS countries, tariffs and prices for electricity, gas, and petroleum products are higher than in Kazakhstan, leading to distortions and imbalances in our economy. This is the reality, and we should not hide it. Everyone can see how fuel is being smuggled into neighboring countries, which, in turn, creates fertile ground for crime,” Tokayev noted.