A package with a surprise: Foreigner detained at Almaty Airport

Arujan Al-Farabi

Image created from video frames

Tengrinews.kz - A foreign national arriving on a flight from Phuket was detained at Almaty International Airport after being caught with an unusual package.

According to Polisia.kz, officers from the Committee on Combating Drug Crime, together with the National Security Committee (NSC) and the Zhetysu customs post, detained a 42-year-old foreign citizen who had arrived on the Phuket–Almaty route. During a baggage inspection, they discovered six packets of dried marijuana weighing more than 3 kilograms.

Preliminary findings indicate that the man had agreed to transport the package from Thailand in exchange for financial compensation. In Bangkok, he reportedly received the parcel from unknown individuals without checking its contents or asking about its purpose.

“An investigation is currently underway,” said Daniyar Meirkhan, acting head of the Interior Ministry’s Committee on Combating Drug Crime.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs also reminded travelers that carrying packages for others can lead to criminal liability, including long prison sentences.