Kazakhstan Moves to Secure Domestic Fuel Supplies and Combat Oil Smuggling

The Kazakh government has reviewed a series of measures aimed at ensuring stable domestic fuel supplies and curbing the illegal outflow of oil products across borders.

Kazakh First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar chaired a high-level meeting on the current state of the fuel and lubricants market, with senior officials from the Ministries of Energy, Finance, and Internal Affairs, the Financial Monitoring Agency, and the Border Service of the National Security Committee in attendance, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

The discussions focused on maintaining stable fuel supplies for domestic consumption and enhancing border control measures. According to the Ministry of Energy, the domestic market remains stable, with adequate fuel reserves.

Following the meeting, Sklyar instructed relevant agencies to develop a comprehensive action plan to prevent unlawful diversion of petroleum products and to strengthen monitoring at the state border. Proposed measures include stricter tracking of cargo movements and regional fuel consumption.

“Ensuring reliable supply for domestic needs is the state’s top priority. Price gaps and logistical factors must not lead to shortages,” Sklyar emphasized, noting that the issue remains under close government oversight.

The increased focus on border security comes after authorities in Turkistan region uncovered a smuggling network that used a 375-meter underground tunnel to transport 5-7 tons of fuel daily from Kazakhstan into Uzbekistan.