Drugs and psychotropic drugs worth more than 25 million hryvnias were seized — police exposed drug groups with interregional ties
It consisted of 11 people: they organized the sale of various prohibited substances throughout the country. Some of the psychotropics were made in their own drug lab, the other was bought in bulk batches. They sold the “goods” through four Telegram channels, sending orders by mail, and payment was received in cryptocurrency on electronic wallets. Such a business brought the defendants more than 5 million hryvnias of profit every month.
The perpetrators were exposed by the agents of the Drug Crime Control Department in the Kiev region of the DBN together with the investigators of the Main Investigation Department, the operational services of the National Police and under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
Four men from Kyiv region and Odessa organized the drug business. They created four Telegram channels through which they offered various types of drugs and psychotropics, and their client base numbered almost one and a half thousand people. The assortment includes methadone, amphetamine, alpha-PvP, ecstasy, LSD, mephedrone, cannabis, psilocybin mushrooms, as well as candy and chocolate containing psychotropic substances. All this customers could buy through drug stores, paying for the “product” in cryptocurrency and receive it through postage.
To expand their “business”, they involved seven more men from Kyiv and Zhytomyr region in illegal activities. One of them, who had knowledge of the synthesis of chemical compounds, equipped at his place of residence a drug laboratory, the capacity of which allowed the monthly production of up to 30 kg of amphetamine and “alpha-PVP”. The rest of the defendants were directly responsible for the packaging and marketing of prohibited substances. Every month, such illegal activities brought them more than 5 million hryvnias in profit.
During 14 simultaneous searches, which were carried out with the force support of PPOP and TOR fighters in the territory of Odessa, Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions, 10 kg of amphetamine, 60 l of “Alpha-PvP” in liquid state, 300 pills “Ecstasy”, psilocybin mushrooms, methadone, cannabis were seized. Mephedrone, as well as chocolate and sweets containing psychotropic substances. In addition, various precursors, laboratory equipment, packaging materials, bank cards, mobile phones and money in national and foreign currency were seized.
The estimated cost of seized prohibited substances is more than 25 million hryvnias.
Four active members of the group were detained in accordance with Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Investigators have already informed them of suspicion under Part 3 of Art. 307 - illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, shipment or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues in particularly large quantities, committed by an organized group.
The activities of drug stores are blocked. Procedural decisions regarding other members of the group will be made after obtaining the results of expert research.
For the actions committed, the defendants face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.
Department for Combating Drug Crimes of the National Police of Ukraine
