SBU exposed an international drug syndicate and seized cocaine worth UAH 70 million

The Security Service of Ukraine has exposed an international drug syndicate that has organized the smuggling of hard drugs from southern Europe to Ukraine. Law enforcement officers have seized the largest consignment of cocaine since the start of the full-scale war, the total value of the drugs is about 70 million UAH.

This is reported by the SBU.

According to the investigation, the members of the group earned from 15 to 20 million UAH per month from illegal business. During a special operation in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Lviv regions, law enforcement officers simultaneously detained ten members of the syndicate.

The suspects sold wholesale shipments of cocaine, ecstasy, and other psychotropic substances that came to Ukraine from abroad.

According to the case materials, the group’s activities in Ukraine were coordinated by a resident of Kyiv. He used specialized forums to search for people who would sell drugs for money in different regions of the country.

During the first series of searches, law enforcement officers seized about 2 kg of cocaine and other prohibited substances from the suspects. Later, more than 8 kg of cocaine and other potent substances were found in the hideouts of the group members. The total value of the seized goods is estimated at approximately 70 million UAH.

Ten detainees were charged under Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This concerns the illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, transfer or sale of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances as part of an organized group.

The court remanded all suspects in custody. They face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Law enforcement officers have also established the involvement of three Ukrainian citizens in drug trafficking in Spain. The Ukrainian side is currently resolving the issue of their extradition.

The special operation was conducted under the procedural guidance of the Dnipro District Prosecutor’s Office of Kyiv.