The SBU blocked the activities of an organized criminal group in the Kharkiv region. A group comprised former officials of the National Police. Nine police officers have already been served suspicion notices.

The group's leaders set up a mechanism to obtain money for not prosecuting those involved in the purchase of drugs and psychotropic substances.

In case of refusal to pay bribes, the group members tortured and threatened with physical violence.

According to available data, the average size of payoff ranged from USD 200 to USD 500 from one drug-addicted person. More than fifty facts of receiving illegal benefits by criminals have been documented.

To implement the scheme, police officers received information from drug dealers and through telegram channels about drug-addicted persons trying to purchase illicit substances. Then the members of the group, without observance of procedural norms, detained "clients" during the removal of "goods" from the narcotic caches.

After that, "law enforcement officers" extorted money from pseudo-detainees for not prosecuting them.

During searches of the residences of the group members, their vehicles, as well as the police offices, money, allegedly derived from crime, and drugs, which had been handed over for examination, were seized.

At this stage, nine police officers have been served suspicion notices upon receiving a bribe and using tortures. A type of detention is to be chosen.

Urgent investigative and operative actions are underway to identify and bring to justice other persons involved in illegal activities.

The operation was carried out by officers of the SBU Office in Kharkiv region together with investigators of the Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigation located in the city of Poltava under the procedural guidance of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.