Kazakhstan\'s financial police have charged BG Karachaganak, a subsidiary of U.K.-based British Gas, with smuggling $2.73 billion worth of natural gas condensate to Russia, gazeta.ru reported on 19 July. Top finance police officer Sarybai Kalmurzaev told a 19 July news conference that damages to the state are estimated at $5.4 million. According to Kalmurzaev, the investigation will take at least 7-8 months. Another criminal case levels price-fixing charges at Canada\'s PetroKazakhstan. Kazakhstan\'s antimonopoly agency charges that PetroKazakhstan and its affiliates colluded to circumvent antimonopoly legislation and generate illegal profits of $96 million. Kalmurzaev stressed that the companies involved \"have excellent specialists and consultants who find loopholes in our laws.\" He promised, however, that the cases will be brought before a court of law. (Interfax-Kazakhstan)