The SSU cyber units and the National Police have blocked a scheme for importing and selling wholesale batches of counterfeit medications in Ukraine.

As a result of operational and investigative activities in Kyiv, the SSU exposed the organizer and three members of a criminal group involved in the fraud.

Investigators seized 40 boxes of counterfeit medicines worth over UAH 50 mln.

According to the investigation, the group covertly smuggled counterfeit oncology medications into Ukraine disguised as humanitarian aid.

The illegally imported products were stored in unsanitary conditions in rented warehouses in the capital.

The counterfeits were then sold to patients through two specially created online stores administered by members of the group.

The offenders received payments to the bank cards of relatives and bogus persons and sent the goods to customers through popular postal services.

During the searches at the warehouse and at the suspects’ homes, the SSU found:

• mobile phones and computers with evidence of the crime;
• draft accounting records;
• 3 cars used to deliver ‘medicines’;
• over 20 bank cards used to get payments from customers.

The SSU-initiated examinations confirmed that the seized medicines have signs of counterfeiting and do not meet the characteristics stated in the ‘manufacturer’ instructions.

All members of the criminal group have been served a notice of suspicion under the Articles 28.3 and 321-1.2 of the CCU (counterfeiting of medicines or trafficking in counterfeit medicines committed by an organized group).

The court chose custody as a measure of restraint.

The law enforcement agencies are verifying the involvement of over ten oncologists, including foreign ones, in supplying the organizers of the scheme with pseudo-drugs and distributing counterfeit medicines to patients.

The investigation is ongoing.

The operation was carried out under the supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.