Drug trafficking via vapes uncovered in Ukraine – products worth 17.4 million hryvnias seized. PHOTOS
Under the procedural guidance of prosecutors from the Office of the Prosecutor General, an organised group has been exposed that had established a transnational drug supply chain from one of the EU countries and was distributing the drugs throughout Ukraine in the form of electronic smoking devices.
According to the investigation, the scheme was organised by a 35-year-old man from Kyiv, who enlisted four accomplices, reports Censor.NET.
Details
The group had been operating since at least mid-2025, with a clear hierarchy and division of roles. Cannabis extract with a high tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content was smuggled into Ukraine disguised as food products.
The substance obtained was used to fill pod systems – essentially ready-to-use vapes. Orders were taken via a Telegram channel, and the products were delivered throughout Ukraine by post or via a network of distributors. The cost of a single device ranged from 1,800 to 4,000 hryvnias, with monthly profits exceeding 10 million hryvnias.
Law enforcement officers carried out over 30 searches across several regions. Equipment, bank cards, draft records, equipment for printing waybills and over 200 starter packs from mobile operators were seized. Also seized were over 700 vapes containing narcotic substances, 4 kilograms of cannabis extract, 3.5 kilograms of sweets containing tetrahydrocannabinol, ammunition, 4 vehicles and excise stamps. The total value of the seized items at black market prices is approximately 17.4 million hryvnias.
The group’s organiser has been detained and charged. Four other members have been charged under Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The issue of preventive measures is currently being decided.
