The perpetrators were exposed by the operatives of the Department for Combating Narcotics Crime in the Lviv region together with the investigators of the particularly serious crimes investigation department (detectives) of the investigative department of the police of the Lviv region, under the procedural guidance of the Lviv regional prosecutor’s office.
As the law enforcement officers established, the group consisted of five people – a 22-year-old organizer, two members, two pawnbrokers and their assistants, aged from 21 to 28 – all residents of Lviv and the region.
During the pre-trial investigation, the law enforcement officers established that the perpetrators organized the illegal sale of the narcotic drug “cannabis”, as well as the psychotropic substances “amphetamine” and “MDMA” on the territory of Lviv and the region. To sell the “goods”, they used the Telegram channel with the possibility of payment using cryptocurrencies, and also sold substances by making “bookmarks”.
During authorized searches at the residence and in the cars of the accused, the law enforcement officers discovered and seized: narcotic drug “cannabis” and psychotropic substance “amphetamine”, electronic scales, zip-packs, drafts, money obtained from illegal activities, as well as other property evidence In addition, the police seized a device similar to a gun and cartridges from the attackers. Everything is directed to expert research.
Law enforcement officers also discovered 17 bookmarks with a white powdery substance, outwardly similar to the psychotropic substance “amphetamine”, with a total weight of about 17 grams.
Two members of the criminal group, in particular the organizer and a member, were detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, the court chose preventive measures for them – detention. Fighters of the KORD special unit were involved in the detention.
The pre-trial investigation in the criminal proceedings opened under Part 2 of Article 307 (Illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, forwarding or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is ongoing. The sanction of the article provides for punishment – deprivation of liberty for a term of six to ten years with confiscation of property.