In Zaporizzhya, SBU officers stopped the group of drug dealers engaged in large-scale smuggling and sale of psychotropic substances and precursors in many regions of Ukraine.

Allegedly, five residents of Zaporizzhya city organized the drug trafficking. They ordered the drugs on special Internet websites from dealers from the EU and East Asia. They received prohibited substances through the international postal services under the guise of building mixtures and household chemicals. They organized the drug lab in a garage of a group member in Zaporizzhya city. The offenders sold the drugs throughout Ukraine via the extensive dealer network.

According to intelligence, they received almost 300 kilos of psychotropic substances and precursors per month, including the toxic alpha-Bromovalerophenone.

One of the group members was detained by the SBU in accordance with Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine near postal office after receiving the next package with 30 kilos of psychotropic substances. Another two offenders, including the mastermind, were detained in the drug lab.

Law enforcement conducted 14 simultaneous searches at places of manufacture, storage and sale of drugs, as well as in offenders’ residences and cars.

During investigation SBU officers seized 21 kilos of psychotropic substances, the equipment for its synthesis, over 500 kilos of precursors, a large number of bank cards, draft records with data on drug trafficking and customers, as well as the computer equipment containing correspondence with suppliers, and nearly USD 150,000 gained from illegal activities.

The approximate cost of the seized drugs on the “black market” is valued at almost UAH 2,5 million (USD 92,600).

The criminal proceeding is initiated for smuggling of narcotics, psychotropic substances, their analogues or precursors, illegal production, making, purchasing, storage, transportation, sending or sale of narcotics, psychotropic substances or their analogues and for illegal production, making, purchasing, storage, transportation or sending of precursors.

The issue of serving a notice of suspicion is being decided.

Investigation is ongoing in order to bring to responsibility other people involved in criminal activities.

Operation was conducted jointly with the National Police under the legal supervision of the Posecutor’s Office of Zaporizzhya region.