As part of the work of the joint investigative team of Ukraine, Slovakia and the Czech Republic with the participation of Europol and Eurojust, a transnational criminal group that organized a channel of psychotropic substances to European countries and Ukraine was exposed and neutralized. This was reported by the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Kravchenko, writes UNN.
"The drug business has long known no state borders. Therefore, the response to it must be international. As part of the work of the joint investigative team of Ukraine, Slovakia and the Czech Republic with the participation of Europol and Eurojust, we exposed and neutralized a transnational criminal group that organized a channel of psychotropic substances to European countries and Ukraine," Kravchenko reported.
According to the investigation, it concerns the illegal sale of at least 50 kg of methamphetamine and 2 kg of cocaine. The profit of the criminal group from the sale of methamphetamine alone reached almost 950 thousand euros.
"Drugs entered Ukraine through smuggling via Zakarpattia. Cars and scheduled buses were used for transportation, and psychotropic substances were disguised differently each time: hidden on the bodies of couriers, in children's toys, household items and other objects. Then they were sold through a network of dealers," the Prosecutor General reported.
According to Kravchenko, the organizer of the Ukrainian branch, according to the investigation, was a 52-year-old resident of Mukachevo, who worked for a long time as an assistant to a People's Deputy of Ukraine of the VIII convocation. Among the active participants were also a former bodyguard of this People's Deputy and a deputy of one of the local communities of the Uzhhorod district, who simultaneously worked as a teacher.
During the first stage of the operation, law enforcement officers fully established the structure of the group, documented smuggling channels and conducted an international controlled delivery of methamphetamine from Prague through Slovakia to Uzhhorod. Only then was almost 4 kg of methamphetamine worth over 8 million hryvnias seized.
The second stage took place simultaneously in Ukraine, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
"Over 113 searches. 20 detainees. In Ukraine, eight members of the group were detained, over 80 searches were conducted. All suspects are in custody. During the investigative actions, narcotic drugs, weapons, ammunition, drones, equipment for a bot farm, about 30 kg of gold and silver items, cash, vehicles and other physical evidence were seized," the Prosecutor General reported.
The total value of the seized narcotic substances is almost 12 million hryvnias.
This operation shows: no borders, no connections and no positions can be a guarantee of impunity. If a crime works internationally – we also internationally find, document and bring to justice all its participants.