Arsen Avakov rewarded police officers who exposed a large-scale organized group of drug dealers
The Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov presented the awards to the employees of the Department for Combating Drug Crime, the Department of Criminal Analysis, the Department of Strategic Investigations, the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv and the Department of Patrol Police of the capital.
“In April 2020, a large-scale special operation was carried out during which, during searches, a record batch of methadone was seized - more than 50 kilograms. This operation is defined by us as exemplary, as the beginning of a new path. We expect such operations to be the norm. And it is extremely important for us that each of you understands the importance and value of what you do. I want to invite you to such events more often and know that in our unit, which leads the fight against drug crime, responsible and honest people who help us achieve results,” said Arsen Avakov.
The head of the National Police Igor Klymenko highly appreciated the work of the National Police officers:
“This is a great systematic work of the entire criminal unit and the renewed staff of the Department for Countering Drug Crime. We need to present such results more often in order to clean Ukraine as much as possible from drugs. The future of our state depends on this,” said Igor Klymenko.
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Oleksandr Gogilashvili stressed that the work of police officers in combating drug crime deserves respect and recognition.
“By exposing such groups of drug dealers, you save many lives every day. People who distribute drugs are destroying our future, so your work is extremely important,” said Oleksandr Gogilashvili.
36 police officers for exposing and detaining members of an organized criminal group engaged in the manufacture and sale of methadone received badges “For the Safety of the People”, “For Distinction in Service”, wristwatches and the insignia of the Ministry of Internal Affairs “Firearms”.
Recall, on April 21, 2020, the police exposed a large-scale organized criminal group of drug dealers.
The attackers were engaged in the manufacture of methadone and psychotropics in two laboratories and its marketing in Ukraine and abroad, both in bulk through online stores and retail through mobile applications and bookmarks. The group consisted of 26 people with clearly distributed roles: organizers, “chemists” who made drugs, packers, depositors, operators who accepted orders, accountants and people who cashed money from the sale of methadone. During the searches, the largest amount of methadone - more than 50 kilograms - for two million US dollars, equipment for drug laboratories, precursors, vehicles, cash, and other physical evidence were seized.
26 members of the organized criminal group, from organizers to bookkeepers, were detained. All of them are young people aged 23 to 34, residents of the capital and Kyiv region. The organizers of the drug business have long known each other, become comrades and even become cougars.
