Translated with AI
A group of men posing as drug enforcement officers and extorting money from citizens was detained during a special operation in Almaty, the city's police department press service reported.
During the special operation, counterfeit service IDs of members of the "Police Assistance Squad" NGO, handcuffs, and cash were seized from the suspects. According to law enforcement, the perpetrators threatened criminal prosecution and demanded wire transfers or cash.
All three detainees have been placed in a temporary detention facility. The court has ordered their pretrial detention. A criminal case has been opened against the suspects under the article "Extortion."
Murat Zhumabayev, Head of the Almaty Police Department's Drug Crime Control Department, noted that this is the third such incident since the beginning of the year. "Such incidents undermine public trust, so we strictly suppress such actions. Real police officers act strictly within the law. I urge Almaty residents to call 102 immediately if they have the slightest doubt," he emphasized.
The investigation is ongoing. Investigators are establishing all the circumstances of the detainees' illegal activities.
