Theft of 'social' gas in Kazakhstan: Organized Crime Department made arrests

Tengrinews.kz - A group stealing "social" gas from a field was detained in the Aktobe region. The operation was conducted jointly by the Department of Combating Organized Crime, the Prosecutor's Office, and the National Security Committee (NSC) Department, according to Polisia.kz.

The Department of Combating Organized Crime of the Aktobe Police Department, with the support of the Prosecutor's Office and the NSC Department, detained a group of individuals who had organized a scheme to steal "social" gas from a local gas field.

The suspects are employees of a gas extraction company.

"Through technical manipulations with measuring instruments in fuel storage tanks, they created unaccounted-for gas, which was subsequently transported and sold via railway. Twelve railcars carrying the stolen gas were intercepted en route from the field to the intended sales point. Relevant examinations have been ordered, and the total damage will be determined based on their results. Operational and investigative measures are ongoing," stated said Kuandyk Alpys, the representative of the Department of Combating Organized Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Previously, an organized criminal group, consisting of individuals with previous convictions linked to criminal activity, was detained in Astana.