Mass arrests carried out at Almaty’s “Car City”
During the raid, police uncovered instances of unauthorized street trading, aggressive solicitation of customers, smoking in workplaces and on the premises of service stations. They also recorded cases of storing garbage and auto parts in prohibited areas, drinking alcohol, and petty hooliganism.
“Thirty-eight people were held administratively liable. Thirty-nine individuals of operational interest were taken to the police, including four foreign nationals and minors working without parental consent,” police reported.
It should be noted that “Car City” has been inspected by law enforcement before. In 2018, police investigated whether it had the proper permits to sell auto parts. That summer, boutiques selling used parts began shutting down en masse — shortly after the murder of Kazakh figure skater Denis Ten. Later, it emerged that prior to 2018, unscrupulous entrepreneurs had been operating in the market, earning income without actually conducting legitimate business.