Law enforcement officers exposed and liquidated the criminal group "Krasnobalivski", which cultivated and traded cannabis, and also distributed psychotropics through messengers. The group "promoted" a business with a monthly income of over UAH 20 million. This was reported by UNN with reference to the Office of the Prosecutor General.
Details
Five members of the organized group have been notified of suspicion of illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, shipment, sale of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances throughout the country.
As the investigation found, the Kryvyi Rih drug group "Krasnobalivski" was organized by a 39-year-old previously convicted resident of the capital, against whom indictments are pending in court. Despite this, the man continued criminal activity related to the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs.
The drug group "Krasnobalivski" had an extensive network for distributing drugs throughout all regions of the country. It operated on a strict hierarchy with a clear division of functions – from organizers and coordinators to direct perpetrators.
The accomplices established a full cycle of cannabis production – from cultivation in specially equipped closed laboratories to growing hemp plants in open ground. In one season, they could produce over 500 kg of ready-to-sell drug products. The "goods" were distributed throughout Ukraine, using the services of logistics companies and creating "master-stashes."
They traded not only cannabis but also psychotropics. Among regular customers, they sold MDMA, alpha-PVP, and cocaine. Monthly, members of the drug group sold up to 5,000 doses of cocaine, earning over UAH 8 million in profit.
To mask the drug business, they created and administered closed Telegram channels, where they accepted retail "orders," provided geolocations of "stashes," and communicated with buyers.
Payments for drugs and psychotropics were accepted exclusively on bank cards of straw persons (drops). Part of the funds was transferred to crypto wallets.
The estimated monthly income of the criminal group from drug trafficking exceeds UAH 20 million. The funds received from illegal activities were spent by the suspects on their own needs – elite housing and cars.
During more than 40 searches in Kyiv, Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, and Cherkasy regions at residences, places of criminal activity, and in vehicles, law enforcement officers discovered and seized almost 90 kg of cannabis, mobile phones, bank cards, "draft" records, cash totaling the equivalent of UAH 2.4 million, 12 cars, and ammunition.
The suspects have been arrested without the right to bail. The investigation is ongoing.