Monthly production of up to 100 kg of heavy psychotropics: law enforcement officers neutralize drug syndicate

The Security Service and the National Police neutralized an international criminal organization that manufactured and sold wholesale consignments of hard drugs and psychotropics. As a result of a special operation in Odesa, 10 members of the drug syndicate, including two of its organizers, were simultaneously detained in other regions of Ukraine. This was reported by the press service of the SBU, UNN reports .

According to the case, the offenders produced 60 to 100 kg of "goods" worth over UAH 20 million at black market prices every month. At the same time, the smuggling of 120 kg of psychotropic substances was documented within the framework of criminal proceedings. Among the seized items are large batches of amphetamine, mephedrone and the particularly dangerous psychotropic PVP,

Details

It is noted that in the course of complex measures, the location of the group's drug lab, which the offenders set up in one of the dacha cooperatives in Odesa, was established. They smuggled all the components for the manufacture of prohibited substances from their accomplices in East Asia and purchased them through specialized Internet forums. The drug dealers sold the finished "products" in the largest cities of Ukraine using so-called "bookmarks".

For wholesale drug trafficking, the group members also created their own network of Telegram channels, where they advertised their "goods". In addition, the suspects were actively looking for potential buyers on the darknet. They used postal services to send drugs, and hid the "orders" in containers among food.

According to the investigation, one of the group's organizers was a repeat offender who had previously been prosecuted for drug trafficking.

During 44 searches, the detainees were found to have:

• 280 liters of precursors for the production of drugs and psychotropics;

• almost 17 kg of banned substances;

• technological equipment of the drug laboratory.

Currently, all detainees have been served a notice of suspicion under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• Art. 255, paras. 1, 2 Art. 255 (creation, leadership of a criminal community or criminal organization, as well as participation in it);

• ч. 2 of Art. 311 (illegal production, manufacture, purchase, storage, transportation or shipment of precursors);

• ч. 3 of Art. 305 (smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues or precursors or counterfeit medicines);

• ч. 4 of Art. 28 and Art. 2, 3 of Art. 307 (illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, shipment or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues committed by a criminal organization).

The offenders are in custody. They face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property. The investigation is ongoing to bring all members of the group to justice.

Recall

Law enforcement officers detained two people involved in cocaine smuggling from the Netherlands to Ukraine. A kilogram of the drug worth over UAH 2.3 million was seized, and the suspects face up to 12 years in prison.