Kazakhstan steps up border controls to curb fuel smuggling
The Kazakh Government reviewed today measures to secure the domestic fuel supplies and curb the illegal outflow of petroleum products across borders, Kazinform News Agency cites the Prime Minister’s press service.
On Thursday, First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar chaired a high-level meeting focusing on the ongoing situation in the fuel and lubricants market, attended by senior officials from the Energy, Finance, Internal Affairs Ministries, the Financial Monitoring Agency, and the Border Service of the National Security Committee.
The meeting’s agenda focused on securing stable fuel supplies for domestic consumption and tightening control measures in border regions. The Ministry of Energy reported that the domestic market remains stable, with sufficient fuel reserves.
Following the meeting, Sklyar tasked the relevant agencies with developing a detailed action plan to prevent the unlawful diversion of petroleum products and to intensify monitoring at the state border. Measures will include tighter tracking of cargo movements and fuel consumption in regions.
The First Deputy Prime Minister said: “Ensuring reliable supply for domestic needs is the state’s top priority. Price gaps and logistical factors should not lead to shortages.” Sklyar highlighted that the issue remains under heightened government oversight.
The push for stronger controls follows a recent case in Turkistan region, where authorities dismantled a smuggling network that used a 375-meter underground tunnel to transport 5–7 tons of fuel daily from Kazakhstan into Uzbekistan.
As reported earlier, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov holds a meeting to discuss rare earths industry development.
