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Alcohol Pipeline Found on Kazakh-Kyrgyz Border

Looking across the Chu from Zhambylsky region, Kyrgyzstan into Kazakhstan Vmenkov

Soldiers have discovered a cross-border pipeline shuttling alcohol between the Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

"Preliminary investigation of the pipeline found that it was used for pumping the spirit from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan," prosecutors from the Zhambylsky region said in a statement.

The 200-meter-long plastic pipe measuring 35-50 millimeters in diameter was spotted in a restricted border zone, Interfax reported Tuesday.

The pipe runs under water along the bed of the river Chu, which forms the border between the two countries.

Earlier this month BBC reported that Kazakhstan is one of the biggest grain producers in Central Asia and that spirits are cheaper than in Kyrgyzstan.

Recently, a similar pipeline was discovered. It was used to smuggle petrol and diesel from Kazakhstan.

The case is being investigated further.

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