A 34-year-old resident of Donetsk region, together with an accomplice, manufactured up to 40 kilograms of psychotropic substances per month in a garage-based lab, which they then distributed by setting up “masterclasses” in western Ukraine.
The monthly profit from such activities was over UAH 16 million.
The criminals were exposed by operatives of the Drug Crime Department jointly with the Criminal Analysis Department of the Lviv Police and investigators of the Police Department No. 2 of the Drohobych District Police Department under the procedural supervision of the Drohobych District Prosecutor’s Office.
During the authorised searches, law enforcement officers found and seized significant amounts of precursors and ingredients, as well as tools and laboratory equipment for the manufacture of psychotropic substances, the PVP substance itself in various amorphous states, as well as cannabis, drug-containing pills, packaging and other material evidence. In addition, the police found a grenade-like object, a grenade fuse and ammunition for firearms. All seized items were sent to the Lviv Scientific Research Forensic Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine for examination.
The offender was detained in accordance with Art. 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, law enforcement officers served him a notice of suspicion of committing criminal offences under Part 3 of Art. 307 (Illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, shipment or sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and Part 2 of Art. 311 (Illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation or shipment of precursors) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The maximum penalty under these articles is imprisonment for up to twelve years with confiscation of property. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, law enforcement officers are identifying the detainee’s accomplices.
Lviv regional police communication department