SBU exposed and blocked in Kyiv smuggling of large batches of poor-quality medicines from Russia, Middle East and South Asia countries. The suspects sold the contraband via postal services “due to the spread of coronavirus”, as they explained to their customers.

Allegedly, a group of several Kyiv residents set up smuggling of unregistered medicines of hormonal, oncological and cardiovascular group for further sale. The medicaments were delivered to Ukraine by couriers, without keeping the temperature regime and avoiding medicine quality control.

During the quarantine, connected with the spread of COVID-19, the suspects sold the poor-quality goods under the guise of original and quality medicines at inflated prices, without any certificates. The suspects searched for their clients via specially created website.

During the searches of the suspects’ residences and storage places of the counterfeit goods, the law enforcement seized 90 items of medicine products worth UAH 3 million (USD 120,000). According to the experts, the seized medicine is dangerous for health of people.

The issues of serving the detainees notices of suspicion and choosing the form of detention are being decided. The investigation is ongoing in order to bring to justice all the persons involved.

The operation was conducted by the Main Directorate for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime of the Security Service of Ukraine jointly with the Investigative Department of the Main Directorate of the State Fiscal Service in Kyiv City with the engagement of the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drug Control, under the supervision of Prosecutor’s Office of Kyiv City.