The SBU blocked a channel of smuggling drugs from Ukraine through Russia to the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions (ORDLO). The offenders were detained during a special operation in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions.

As a result, law enforcement officers seized:

• a consignment of methadone prepared for sale (worth over UAH 4 m (USD 144,516) at black market prices);
• unregistered weapons.

According to the investigation, leaders of the group organized drug trafficking to the territory of Donetsk region temporarily uncontrolled by the Ukrainian government. The offenders concealed banned substances in children's toys and strollers for further transportation to their accomplices under the guise of household parcels through drivers of minibuses.

Drugs were exported to Russia through the checkpoints Hoptivka (Kharkiv region) and Milove (Luhansk region). They entered the ORDLO area through temporarily uncontrolled sections of the state border. SBU officers documented twelve cases of drug smuggling by members of the group.

SBU investigators served suspicion notices to detainees for smuggling and sale of drugs.

A type of detention is being chosen.

The special operation was conducted by the SBU Office in Kharkiv region under the supervision of the Kharkiv region Prosecutor's Office.