“A foreign drug dealer, who attempted to plant psychotropic drugs on an SBU officer earlier this year, is suspected of committing willful murder even earlier,” stated Volodymyr Rymarchuk, the Deputy Chief of the SBU Main Directorate of Internal Security at a briefing in the city of Zaporizzhia.

“We were investigating the case of a Tunisian citizen who wanted to discredit an SBU officer. Our colleague "interfered" with the illegal business of the suspect, therefore, the drug dealer attempted to get rid of him by planting psychotropic drugs and "blowing the whistle". When we detained the foreigner, we discovered that he may be directly involved in the committing of another crime, namely, a willful murder,” said Volodymyr Rymarchuk.

Allegedly, the suspect can be involved in murder of the chief of the International Office of the Zaporizzhia National University. He went missing in November 2020.

During the pre-trial investigation, the law enforcement officers managed to find the body of the murdered man and identify all those involved in the crime. Among the suspects are the above-mentioned citizen of Tunisia, together with several citizens of Ukraine, including a local National Police officer.

During the searches at suspects’ residences, the law enforcement seized:

• 397 rounds of various calibers;
• dynamic armor for protection of military equipment, which belongs to the category of "dangerous";
• MUV-4 detonator with fuses;
• six rifles;
• two RPG-22 anti-tank grenades;
• 56 grenades to RP-25 grenade launchers.

Currently, two persons have already received the suspicion notices of murder based on mercenary motives and illegal confinement or abduction of a person. Another two persons received the suspicion notices of illegal confinement or abduction of a person. Some of them have already confirmed the previously provided evidence regarding the organization of abduction and illegal confinement of the victim on mercenary motives.

The pre-trial investigation is being carried out by investigators of the National Police in Zaporizzhia region, under the supervision of the Zaporizhia Region Prosecutor's Office.