Russian Rapper Navai Detained at Kazakhstan Border on Suspicion of Drug Smuggling

Russian rapper Navai Bakirov, known professionally as Navai, was detained on October 13 while entering Kazakhstan from Kyrgyzstan. A Kazakh court has since ordered him held in custody as police investigate suspected drug smuggling and unlawful possession of narcotics. Police in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region said officers and border guards discovered and seized a narcotic substance during a search of his vehicle at the Korday checkpoint. They have not identified the substance or disclosed the quantity seized. Navai had performed in Bishkek the previous day as part of a Central Asian concert tour. His concert scheduled for October 14 in Astana was canceled, with organizers citing technical reasons. Kyrgyzstan’s State Border Service has launched an internal investigation into how the musician passed through its Ak-Zhol checkpoint. The service said it would take action if any violations by border officials were uncovered. Navai is a singer of Azerbaijani descent who rose to prominence as part of the duo HammAli & Navai. The duo’s popular songs include “Pustite Menya na Tantspol” (“Let Me on the Dance Floor”), “Pryatki” (“Hide and Seek”), and “Devochka-Voyna” (“Warrior Girl”).

Kazakhstan Seeks to Block Nearly 12,000 Drug-Related Websites in 2026

Kazakhstan has referred nearly 12,000 websites for blocking since the beginning of 2026 for advertising or facilitating the sale of narcotics, according to Eldar Abdikenov, deputy chairman of the Interior Ministry’s Committee for Combating Drug Crime. According to official data, more than 3,000 drug-related criminal offenses were recorded in Kazakhstan between January and May 2026, including around 1,500 classified as drug crimes. “As part of efforts to combat online drug trafficking, nearly 12,000 internet resources used for advertising and selling banned substances have been submitted for blocking through the Cybernadzor system,” Abdikenov said. The number of drug-related websites flagged through Cybernadzor has risen sharply in recent years. In 2022, authorities submitted 1,996 websites for blocking, of which 1,493 were blocked. In 2023, the number of blocked sites rose to 3,500, while in 2025 it reached 10,289. Abdikenov also said that, in cooperation with the National Bank, law enforcement agencies have stepped up efforts to trace and disrupt financial flows linked to the drug trade. Since the start of the year, suspicious transactions worth more than 107 million tenge, or about $207,000, have been halted. Around 125,000 foreign payment cards have also been blocked, and authorities are reviewing data from some 20,000 cryptocurrency wallets. During the same period, six organized criminal groups, including one transnational network, were dismantled. Police also shut down 12 laboratories producing synthetic drugs and 42 “phyto-laboratories” cultivating plants containing banned substances. “The main threat continues to come from synthetic drugs. Authorities have seized 466 kilograms of synthetic substances and more than 11 tons of precursors from illegal circulation,” Abdikenov added. Under Article 297 of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code, the illegal possession, transportation, sale, and distribution of narcotic substances are punishable by prison terms ranging from five to 20 years, depending on the severity of the offense. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan’s Interior Ministry is also planning to introduce financial rewards for citizens who provide information leading to the detection of drug-related crimes.