In Lviv, an indictment has been sent to court in respect of a 28-year-old man and his 32-year-old partner from the Cherkasy region, who are accused of organising a scheme to sell cocaine and ecstasy. This was reported by the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the investigation, the suspects bought prohibited substances in bulk via the Signal messenger and then packaged them in a rented flat in the centre of Lviv. They coordinated retail sales with “clients” through Telegram.
They planned to send the drug parcels by post or deliver them via “courier delivery” by taxi around Lviv. The man was detained in the city centre under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine while attempting to dispatch a prepared “order”. Three packets of cocaine and ecstasy, concealed in a book about Lesya Ukrainka, were seized from him.
During a search at the couple’s residence, 122 packaged zip-lock bags containing cocaine with a total weight of about 200 g (equivalent to more than 73 g of pure substance), as well as 53 zip-lock bags containing ecstasy (equivalent to more than 41 g of pure substance), were discovered and seized. In addition, law enforcement officers seized scales, packaging materials, rough notes and other evidence related to the illegal drugs trade. The value of the seized substances on the black market is estimated at around UAH 2 million.
The partners are charged with the unlawful purchase and possession for the purpose of supply of narcotic drugs and particularly dangerous psychotropic substances in especially large quantities, committed by a group of persons acting in prior conspiracy (Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). In addition, the man is charged under Part 2 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine with the unlawful purchase and possession for the purpose of supply of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, committed by a group of persons acting in prior conspiracy.
The pre-trial investigation in the proceedings was conducted by Lviv District Police Department No. 1 of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv Region. Pursuant to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and confirmed by a court conviction.