Drug syndicate producing up to 100 kg of heavy psychotropics per month was neutralized: 10 members detained, 44 searches conducted - SSU. PHOTOS
The Security Service and the National Police neutralised an international criminal organisation that manufactured and sold wholesale consignments of hard drugs and psychotropics.
This was reported by the SSU, Censor.NET reports.
As noted, as a result of a special operation in Odesa, 10 members of the drug syndicate, including two of its organisers, were simultaneously detained in other regions of Ukraine. According to the case file, 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 in the criminal proceedings.
The SBU reported that among the items seized from the defendants were large batches of amphetamine, mephedrone and the particularly dangerous psychotropic PVP.
In the course of complex measures, the SSU identified the location of the group's drug lab, which was set up in one of Odesa's dacha co-operatives. They smuggled all the components for the manufacture of prohibited substances from their accomplices in East Asia and purchased them through specialised Internet forums.
The traffickers 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 defendants 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 organisers of the group was a repeat offender who had previously been prosecuted for drug trafficking.
During 44 searches, the detainees were found to have:
- 280 litres of precursors for the production of drugs and psychotropics;
- almost 17 kg of prohibited 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. 1, 2 of Art. 255 (creation, management of a criminal community or criminal organisation, as well as participation in it); Art. 311, para. 2 (illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation or transfer of precursors); Art. 305, para. 3 (smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues or precursors or counterfeit medicines); Art. 28, para. 4 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 organisation).
The SSU added that 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.
