SCNS Thwarts Corruption at Irkeshtam-Avtodorozhny Checkpoint
Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) has uncovered and dismantled a corruption scheme at Irkeshtam-Avtodorozhny checkpoint involving employees of the Border Service and private companies. The SCNS revealed that these employees were engaged in the illegal collection of money from drivers of heavy vehicles for unhindered and unscheduled import of cargo through the checkpoint. The drivers had to pay up to 1,000 soms for their inclusion in the queue, and $100 for using cranes to reload shipping containers. The state was compensated for the damage in the amount of 14 million soms resulting from tax audits. The dismantling of the illegal scheme has resulted in increased cargo traffic, reduced transportation costs, and the removal of obstacles for cargo carriers. The investigation is still ongoing.
