In Sumy region, the SBU officers blocked large-scale smuggling of non-certified medicines and tobacco excisable goods from Russia.

Allegedly, residents of a border town together with Russian accomplices organized the illegal deliveries. Bypassing border crossing points, the dealers smuggled Russian-made medicines that were not certified in Ukraine and effectiveness of which was not proved, as well as tobacco products of well-known brands. Then the smugglers delivered the illegal goods to regular customers on the territory of Ukraine using postal service.

The day before, the law enforcement officers detained one of the smugglers, a citizen of Russia, in Velykopysarivskyi district during the transer of another batch of medicines and tobacco blends worth almost UAH 7 millions (USD 253,600). The foreigner is now in the temporary confinement ward.

The investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the case and to prosecute other participants in the smuggling scheme .

The operation was conducted jointly with the Sumy border guard detachment and the Main Directorate of State Fiscal Service of Sumy region under the supervision of the regional Prosecutor's Office.