Precursors were smuggled from Poland: Prosecutor's Office tells details of liquidation of powerful drug syndicate
Kyiv • UNN
Law enforcers dismantled a network of drug trafficking groups that produced almost a ton of psychotropic drugs per month. Over 300 kg of finished product, 15 tons of precursors and equipment worth over UAH 350 million were seized.
During the elimination of a network of interregional drug gangs, a channel for the supply of precursors from abroad was blocked. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, UNN writes.
Details
Law enforcement officials reportedly dismantled 19 drug labs that produced almost a ton of Alpha-PVP and amphetamine salts every month.
According to the investigation, members of one of the drug organizations set up a smuggling channel for the supply of precursors from Poland to specially equipped warehouses. There they were packaged and supplied to five other drug cartels that produced Alpha-PVP and amphetamine in Kyiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kirovohrad, Zhytomyr, Dnipro, and Cherkasy regions.
From there, drugs were distributed throughout Ukraine with the help of "masterclasses" and private logistics companies using bot farms and Telegram channels.
Bot farms acted as a tool for anonymously managing a large network of accounts for drug trafficking and money laundering through crypto exchanges. This allowed them to register numerous accounts in messengers, payment systems and crypto exchanges, maintaining anonymity and obfuscating financial transaction traces
The searches resulted in the seizure of more than 300 kg of finished product and 1000 liters of recreational mixtures of Alpha-PVP, about 15 tons of precursors, more than 70 kg of amphetamine and 16 kg of mephedrone worth more than UAH 350 million at black market prices.
In addition, laboratory equipment, weapons and ammunition, 18 vehicles for the transportation of narcotic substances and funds received from illegal activities in the amount of over UAH 7 million in various currencies were seized.
So far, 71 members of the drug syndicate have been served suspicion notices.
Recall
Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that police had dismantled a drug cartel whose members were producing and selling psychotropic drugs through channels in the messenger. More than 60 people were detained, and 19 drug laboratories were closed, which produced almost a ton of psychotropics every month. They earned more than UAH 350 million per month or more than UAH 4 billion annually.
