Kazakhstan Prosecutor General warns SIM-box owners face up to 5 years in prison

September 3, 2026 at 10:48 AM1 min

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Kazakhstan's Prosecutor General's Office warned on September 3, 2026 that illegal use of SIM-boxes carries up to five years in prison. The warning comes a year after a ban on unauthorized SIM-box trafficking took effect on August 30, 2025. Authorities continue to uncover illegal sales, including a listing for a four-slot GSM gateway on OLX for 120,000 tenge.

Key Facts

The ban on unauthorized SIM-box trafficking took effect in Kazakhstan on August 30, 2025.
Only licensed telecom operators may import, register, sell, or use GSM gateways.
In North Kazakhstan Region, an administrative protocol was filed against a person who listed a four-slot GSM gateway on OLX for 120,000 tenge.
Illegal SIM-box use can be punished by up to five years in prison.
SIM-boxes allow fraudsters to route foreign calls through Kazakh SIM cards and disguise them as local numbers.

The Ban

Kazakhstan introduced a legislative ban on illegal SIM-box trafficking on August 30, 2025. Under the ban, only licensed telecom operators may import, register, sell, and use GSM gateways. The Prosecutor General's Office stated on September 3, 2026 that individuals and stores continue to sell SIM-boxes without a license. Violators face up to five years in prison.

OLX Listing Case

In North Kazakhstan Region, authorities filed an administrative protocol against a person who listed a four-slot GSM gateway on OLX for 120,000 tenge. The question of bringing the seller to administrative responsibility is being decided. The Prosecutor General's Office said SIM-boxes enable fraudsters to route foreign calls through Kazakh SIM cards and hide the real source of the call. Owners of GSM gateways purchased before the ban should contact the authorized body for guidance on further use.