Cocaine instead of ground coffee: Smuggling channel of drugs from EU to Ukraine is blocked - National Police. PHOTOS
Law enforcers jointly with investigators of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the State Customs Service of Ukraine in Lviv region blocked the illegal activities of a criminal drug group whose members set up a scheme to smuggle cocaine from the EU to Ukraine. The offenders disguised the prohibited "goods" in packages of ground coffee.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the press service of the National Police.
Scheme of the transaction
As noted, the organisers of the criminal scheme were two Kyiv residents aged 32 and 33, one of whom is currently abroad. They involved three other accomplices in their activities.
After receiving a consignment of drugs, the offenders ensured their further sale on the territory of Ukraine via the Telegram channel. Payment for the "goods" was made either by bank transfer or in cash "from hand to hand", as well as in cryptocurrency, which provided additional anonymity.
The accomplices received more than UAH 5 million in profit every month.
Searches and seizure of "goods"
On 25 October, law enforcement officers, with the forceful support of the KORD special forces and the PPOP No. 1 of the Main Department of the National Police in Kyiv, conducted 10 simultaneous authorised searches, which resulted in the seizure of 800 grams of cocaine, 2 kg of cannabis and dried mushrooms that may be hallucinogenic, UAH 5 million in various currencies, packaging materials, and draft records.
The estimated value of the seized drugs at "black" market prices is over UAH 6 million.
Detention of members of a criminal drug gang
The National Police reported that four participants were detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
Investigators served them with a notice of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 307 (Illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, shipment or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues committed by an organised group, or in particularly large amounts) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Three of them were chosen as a measure of restraint in the form of detention without the right to be released on bail, and another - with the possibility of bail in the amount of UAH 908 thousand. The organiser, who is abroad, was served a notice of suspicion under Part 3 Art. 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine in absentia.
The offenders face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.
