The Security Service of Ukraine has dismantled a criminal group that organised an international smuggling route for hard drugs from southern Europe to Ukraine. The monthly ‘income’ from the illegal business amounted to 15–20 million Hryvnias (USD 333,000 – 444,000).

As part of a special operation in the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Lviv regions, ten members of the drug syndicate have been detained simultaneously; they were selling wholesale consignments of cocaine, ecstasy and other psychotropic substances imported from abroad.

According to the investigation, the group’s coordinator in Ukraine was a resident of the capital. He used specialist forums to hire dealers who sold drugs in the regions of Ukraine.

During the initial searches, approximately 2 kg of cocaine and other prohibited substances were seized from the suspects. Subsequently, a further 8 kg of cocaine and other potent substances were found in the suspects’ hiding places. The total value of the seized items is approximately UAH 70 million (USD 1.5 mln).

Ten of those detained have now been served with notices of suspicion under Article 307.3 of the CCU for the illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, transmission or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues committed by an organised group.

The suspects are in custody. They face up to 12 years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property.

In addition, the involvement of three Ukrainian citizens, who are currently in Spain, in organising the aforementioned drug trafficking network has been documented. The decision on their extradition to Ukraine is pending.

This operation was carried out under the procedural supervision of the Dnipro District Prosecutor’s Office in Kyiv.