A special operation titled "Karasora" is currently underway in Kazakhstan.
Source: MoD of RK Press
Within the territory of Kazakhstan, an operational-preventive initiative named "Karasora" is being carried out, aimed at countering the cultivation, harvesting, and smuggling of hemp from the southern regions of the country, as reported by Sarbaz.kz, citing the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
During the course of this operation, law enforcement authorities have confiscated over 8.5 tons of narcotics from illegal circulation, including 67 kg of heroin, 1,175 kg of marijuana, 94 kg of hashish, and 23.7 kg of synthetic drugs, according to a statement from the MVD's anti-drug department.
As part of the special operation in the Kyzylorda, Zhambyl, Turkestan regions, and the city of Shymkent, a total of 183 instances of cultivation of narcotic-containing plants have been identified. To detect such hemp cultivation sites, National Guard helicopters and Defense Ministry drones are employed. These aerial assets have successfully identified four narcotics plantations.
According to information from the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Sky Lark unmanned aerial vehicle unit from the "South" Regional Command identified a hemp cultivation site in the Zhambyl region. In the village of Beszhyldyk in the Zhambyl district, within the premises of a residential house, military personnel discovered a plot that stood out from ordinary backyard gardens.
"The complexity of recognition stemmed from the fact that the plantation was covered with camouflage netting. To gather more accurate data, we lowered the drone from 250 to 150 meters, captured images, and transmitted the coordinates of the site to law enforcement personnel," stated Senior Lieutenant Bauyrzhan Atymtaev, the commander of the UAV unit.
Upon obtaining precise location data, representatives from the MIA, the Anti-Drug Department of the Police Department in the Zhambyl region, and National Guard personnel conducted a search of the area and outbuildings, where pre-prepared cannabis plants were discovered and seized from the house owner. Drones provide the capability to inspect hard-to-reach areas in pre-desert zones, where illicit hemp cultivation and unauthorized harvesting often occur.
The MIA of the Republic of Kazakhstan emphasized that the "Karasora" special operation continues.