Faces up to 20 years: Turkey extradites former law enforcement officer to Kazakhstan

Tengrinews.kz – A former law enforcement officer suspected of running an illegal gambling business has been extradited from Turkey, according to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

With the cooperation of the Prosecutor General’s Office, Interpol, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, a Kazakh citizen was extradited from the Republic of Turkey to face criminal charges for participation in a transnational organized crime group, illegal operation of a gambling business, and abuse of official powers.

According to the investigation, between 2015 and 2016, the suspect, while holding a senior position in a state agency in East Kazakhstan Region, systematically received bribes for protecting illegal gambling operations.

“After committing the crimes, the suspect fled and had been internationally wanted for seven years. In January 2024, he was detained in the city of Izmir, Turkey, and extradited to Kazakhstan at the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office. He has since been placed in a pre-trial detention facility,” the statement said.

Other members of the criminal group have already been convicted and sentenced to various prison terms.

The criminal charges he faces carry a penalty of 12 to 20 years in prison, along with confiscation of property.

The Prosecutor General’s Office emphasized that efforts continue to identify, locate, and bring to justice fugitives abroad, including those involved in corruption and economic crimes.