Kazakhstan Arrests Russian Rapper Navai on Drug Smuggling Charges

Oct. 15, 2026 navaib / Instagram A court in Kazakhstan has reportedly placed popular Russian hip-hop artist Navai in pre-trial detention after border authorities arrested him on suspicion of drug smuggling. Navai Bakirov, 31, was detained on Tuesday at a border checkpoint while attempting to cross into Kazakhstan from neighboring Kyrgyzstan. The Korday District Court ordered Bakirov to be placed in pre-trial detention for two months, Telegram news channel Baza reported on Thursday. According to the report, Bakirov had allegedly admitted during police questioning to purchasing the drugs in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, where he performed on Monday. Baza, which is purported to have links to Russia’s security services, claimed Kazakh border guards uncovered 2.5 grams of marijuana in Bakirov’s vehicle after being alerted by a sniffer dog. Bakirov’s arrest led to the cancellation of his concert in Astana on Wednesday. His show in Chisinau, Moldova, was rescheduled from this Friday to Dec. 8. The Samara native rose to prominence across the post-Soviet space as part of the hit-making duo HammAli & Navai before launching a solo career. Bakirov’s legal trouble in Central Asia comes nearly one month after he resolved a separate civil dispute in Moscow by compensating the city for damages caused when he crashed his Ferrari in central Moscow in May. Read more about: Music , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Drugs Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Putin Briefs India, Brazil, South Africa and Regional Allies on Alaska Summit Putin held a similar phone call blitz with Russia’s allies ahead of the Aug. 8 deadline that Trump had given him to end the war against Ukraine. 2 Min read Central Asia Drifts Out of Russia’s Orbit as Ukraine War Rages BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Russia is losing influence over former Soviet nations in Central Asia as the war in Ukraine increasingly strains Moscow&rsquo... Central Asians in Russia Pressured to Join Moscow's Fight in Ukraine “I think the Russian government is using labor migrants as cannon fodder in Ukraine,” a prominent migrants' rights activist alleged. Kazakh DJ Imanbek Makes History With First Post-Soviet Grammy Imanbek's remix of SAINt JHN’s “Roses” went viral on TikTok and racked up over 1 billion plays on Spotify.