ASTANA – Despite the efforts of law enforcement agencies, the problem of drug addiction persists, especially among the youth, said Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov at the meeting of the interdepartmental commission for the prevention of offenses on July 24.
Photo credit: primeminister.kz
The meeting discussed measures to combat drug-related crime and alcoholism, as well as the effectiveness of efforts to prevent domestic violence.
“A dangerous trend that concerns the entire society is the spread of drug addiction among the youth. Unfortunately, it is gaining more and more momentum,” said Bektenov.
“The situation is complicated by new methods of distribution—through the internet, postal shipments, ‘stash spots,’ and anonymous electronic payments. All of this eliminates the physical contact between the ‘drug dealer-distributor-consumer.’ Therefore, it is now much more difficult to apprehend distributors,” he added.
The Prime Minister instructed the improvement of mechanisms for identifying and blocking drug websites and similar advertisements, as well as addressing issues related to blocking money transfers associated with drug trafficking.
Over the past six months, 6.4 tons of drugs have been seized, over 17,000 drug websites have been blocked, and 474 drug offenders have been detained, including 28 administrators of Telegram channels, reported the Minister of Internal Affairs, Yerzhan Sadenov.
Twenty-one criminal cases were initiated against organized criminal groups, including three transnational networks. Over 11,000 anti-drug operations were conducted.
According to the data announced by the Minister of Health, Akmaral Alnazarova, over the past five years, the number of opioid-dependent individuals has decreased by 1.5 times, while the dependence on synthetic stimulants and combined drug use has increased.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence in Kazakhstan has shown a significant downward trend in recent years.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported a 35% decrease in domestic violence reports over the past three years, with a further 20% reduction recorded in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Prime Minister Bektenov said that, despite the positive dynamics, preventing and combating domestic violence remains a critical issue in the country’s family and demographic policy.
“The principle of law and order, defined by the head of state, means that any violence or physical assault is unacceptable in society. By the President’s directive, we have strengthened the legislation. The responsibility for illegal actions against women and children has been tightened,” said Bektenov.
