More than 6,000 Kazakhstanis fined under new Administrative Code article

Tengrinews.kz – Since March 2025, more than 6,000 Kazakhstanis have been held administratively liable under a new article of the Code of Administrative Offenses for non-medical drug use. This was announced by Meirkhan Daniyar, head of the Interior Ministry’s Committee on Combating Drug Crime.
According to the official, the introduction of the new article has had a preventive effect and is part of a broader set of measures aimed at combating the drug trade.

“Since March 2025, administrative liability for non-medical drug use has been introduced. Over this period, more than 6,000 offenders have been brought to responsibility. This has had a preventive effect,” Daniyar said during a briefing at the Central Communications Service.

Note: Liability for non-medical use of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, as well as potent substances is предусмотрена under Article 440-1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. If such drug use does not constitute a criminal offense, an individual faces a fine of 40 monthly calculation indices (about 173,000 tenge in 2026) or administrative arrest for up to 10 days. If the same violation is committed again within a year after an administrative penalty is imposed, liability becomes stricter: a fine of 80 monthly calculation indices (about 346,000 tenge in 2026) or administrative arrest for up to 20 days.
The head of the Interior Ministry committee also noted that tougher criminal penalties for organizers of the drug business, including life imprisonment, have led to a reduction in the production of synthetic drugs within Kazakhstan. According to him, some underground production facilities have shifted to neighboring countries.
The Interior Ministry is also recording shortages and rising prices of synthetic drugs. If their cost previously stood at around 25,000 tenge, it has now increased to about 35,000 tenge.

“An increase in prices and a shortage of synthetic drugs have been observed. There are regular disruptions in their transportation. This is a direct result of strikes against production, logistics and drug distribution channels,” minister emphasized.

The ministry believes that the measures being taken make it possible to simultaneously impact both drug traffickers and consumers, reducing demand and dismantling illegal distribution schemes.