Officers from five Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) states detained 376 people suspected of drug trafficking during the operation, including 135 citizens of states outside the alliance and 59 people who had been wanted.[1][2][3] The operation recorded 790 drug crimes, including 81 smuggling cases, and broke up 101 drug groups.[1][2][3]
Within CSTO territory, officers seized more than 1,260 kg of marijuana and over 232 kg of hashish — at least 1,492 kg of cannabis — along with 47 kg of alpha-PVP, more than 68 kg of mephedrone and 31 kg of heroin.[1][3] In total, more than 11.4 tonnes of prohibited substances were taken out of circulation in the CSTO states, China and Iran, including about 11 tonnes of drugs, 9.4 kg of psychotropic substances and 23 kg of potent substances.[1][2] The operation also seized 213 firearms and 1,722 rounds of ammunition.[1][4]
The subregional operation “Canal – Caspian Lighthouse” ran from 26 to 30 October 2026.[1][2][3] Almost 9,000 officers from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan took part, joined by more than 2,000 representatives of China and Iran.[1][2] Its international coordination headquarters was in Almaty, Kazakhstan.[5] The preliminary results were announced in Almaty.[6] The operation focused on drug routes into CSTO territory, including the Trans-Caspian international transport route.[1] The Kazakh drug-crime committee said particular attention went to stopping smuggling across the Russian-Kazakh border.[7] The CSTO press service said 674 internet sites spreading banned drug information had been identified.[8] It said joint anti-drug work within the CSTO would continue.[8]
Financial intelligence units of the Eurasian Group recorded more than 80,000 suspicious operations worth over 1 billion roubles, linked to transfers to so-called dropper accounts, cash withdrawals and cryptocurrency conversion.[2] The CSTO said information from the financial intelligence units led to six criminal cases over money laundering.[4]
