During the operational-preventive operation "Karasora-2023," the SkyLark unmanned aerial vehicle team from the "South" Regional Command successfully identified the location of a cultivated hemp plot in the Zhambyl region, as reported by Sarbaz.kz, citing the Ministry of Defence.
Source: Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan
The drone conducted reconnaissance over the village of Beszhyldyk in the Zhambyl district. During the mission, a plot was discovered that stood out amidst regular household plots and was visually camouflaged with a specialised net.
As noted by the commander of the UAV unit, Senior Lieutenant Bauyrzhan Atymtaev, the camouflage net hindered the process of detecting the plantation, but when the drone was lowered to 150 meters, detailed images were captured, and coordinates were relayed to the police.
Taking into account the gathered data, law enforcement officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Anti-Drug Department of the Police Department of Zhambyl Region, and National Guard personnel conducted a search in the designated area, resulting in the discovery and confiscation of cultivated hemp plants.
Deputy Chief of the Anti-Drug Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Askar Mukhametkaliyev, underscored that the effectiveness of interagency collaboration using military drones was proven last year during the "Karasora" operation. Drones provide the capability to survey hard-to-reach territories in pre-desert zones, where illicit cultivation and harvesting of hemp often take place.
This season, the team of servicemen from the "South" Regional Command has successfully identified the third case of illegal hemp cultivation and harvesting using unmanned aircraft.