Kazakhstan has thwarted an attempted illegal sale of highly toxic mercury worth over $200,000, preventing its potential use for criminal purposes.

Officers from the organized crime unit in Almaty Region carried out a special operation in coordination with prosecutors and the National Security Committee, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

A 28-year-old suspect from Turkestan Region was detained while attempting to sell the substance for around 100 million tenge. He has been placed in a temporary detention facility.

At the scene, law enforcement seized more than three kilograms of metallic mercury stored in a glass container. Investigators are now working to establish all circumstances surrounding the case.

Police emphasized that mercury is a highly toxic element posing serious risks to human health. Its vapors can cause severe poisoning, damage the nervous system, and accumulate in both the human body and the environment.