The Security Service of Ukraine blocked the illegal activities of an organized criminal group that in a large scale manufactured and sold counterfeit anabolic and potent drugs.

Within the criminal proceedings, SBU operatives established that four residents of Kharkiv and Kyiv cities had organized illegal business. They received raw materials for the manufacture by mail from one of the East Asia countries. Production was carried out in a rented premises, located in industrial zone of Kharkiv city. To forge the packaging, holograms and instructions, the offenders used equipment of a printing houses, where one of the accomplices worked.

They sold counterfeit goods under the guise of well-known pharmaceutical manufacturers via an online store. According to preliminary estimates, the volume of sold goods tops UAH 15 million (USD 535,714) per year.

Four members of the group received a suspicion notice of illegal production, making, purchasing, transportation, sending, storage for selling purposes, or sale of poisonous and drastic substances. According to the judgement, two of them are now in custody.

The pre-trial investigation is underway.

The operation was conducted by the SBU Main Directorate for Counterintelligence Protection of the State's Interests in the Economic Sphere under the legal guidance of the Kyiv Local Prosecutor's Office no.7.