Drug trafficking in vapes exposed in Ukraine - products worth UAH 17.4 million seized, the Prosecutor General's Office reported on Wednesday, writes UNN.
An organized group that established a transnational channel for supplying drugs from one of the EU countries and selling them throughout Ukraine in the form of electronic smoking devices has been exposed.
According to the investigation, the scheme was organized by a 35-year-old Kyiv resident, who involved four more accomplices. "The group has been operating at least since mid-2025, had a clear hierarchy and division of roles. Cannabis extract with a high content of tetrahydrocannabinol was smuggled into Ukraine under the guise of food products," the report says.
The obtained substance, as noted, was used by the defendants to fill pod systems - essentially ready-to-use vapes. "Orders were accepted through a Telegram channel, and products were delivered throughout Ukraine by mail or through a network of sellers. The cost of one device ranged from UAH 1,800 to UAH 4,000, with monthly profits exceeding UAH 10 million," the PGO said.
Law enforcement officers conducted more than 30 searches in several regions. As reported, equipment, bank cards, draft records, equipment for printing waybills, and more than 200 starter packs of mobile operators were seized.
"Also seized were more than 700 vapes with narcotic substances, 4 kg of cannabis extract, 3.5 kg of candies containing tetrahydrocannabinol, ammunition, 4 cars, and excise stamps. The total value of the seized items at black market prices is about UAH 17.4 million," the prosecutor's office reported.
The group's organizer has been detained and notified of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Four other participants are charged under Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The issue of choosing preventive measures is currently being decided.
Recall
In Ukraine, after a peak increase in 2023, the number of suspects in drug-related crimes is gradually decreasing, but the scale remains significant. In the first two months of 2026 alone, more than 2.5 thousand people were notified of suspicion for illegal drug trafficking.