The Security Service of Ukraine and the National Police have neutralised a criminal group that set up a channel for smuggling heavy psychotropic drugs into Ukraine. As a result of a joint operation in Poltava, the organiser and four of his accomplices have been detained.

The investigation established that the members of the gang were smuggling foreign precursors into Ukraine to manufacture a particularly dangerous psychotropic substance, α-PVP.

The drug ring’s monthly turnover amounted to over UAH 70 mln (USD 1.6 mln).

To smuggle the raw materials, the criminals hid them among consumer goods. Then, they transported the ‘products’ to a drug lab set up in a rented house in Poltava district.

The perpetrators sold the finished narcotics across Ukraine through a network of dealers who delivered them to customers personally or through stashes.

The organiser is a 36-year-old resident of Poltava, who recruited his local acquaintances into the drug trade.

More than 11 kg of ready-to-sell α-PVP, almost 6,000 litres of precursors, cocaine, equipment for the manufacture of psychotropic substances, and a vehicle were seized during the searches. Mobile phones, computer equipment, bank cards, and written records with evidence of the crimes were also found.

The detainees have been notified of suspicion under several Articles of the CCU, according to the crimes committed:

• 209.1 (money laundering);
• 305.2 (smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues or precursors, or counterfeit medicines);
• 306.2 (use of funds obtained from the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, precursors, poisonous or potent substances, or poisonous or potent medicines);
• 27.2, 27.3, 307.3 (illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, transfer, or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, or their analogues);
• 311.2 (illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, or transfer of precursors);
• 27.2, 27.3, 28.3, 317.2 (organisation or maintenance of places for the illegal use, production, or manufacture of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, or their analogues, committed by a group, upon prior conspiracy).

The suspects are in custody without bail and face up to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Poltava region jointly with the National Police under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor’s Office.