In Lviv, law enforcement officers have detained nine members of a criminal group suspected of organising a full cycle of distribution of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in various regions of Ukraine. This was reported by the National Police of Ukraine, the Specialised Defence Prosecutor’s Office for the Western Region and the Police of Sumy Region.
According to the investigation, seven men and two women aged between 19 and 35, all residents of Lviv, had set up the sale of cocaine and cannabis, as well as the psychotropic substances methamphetamine, amphetamine, mephedrone, PVP, MDMA and LSD in particularly large quantities. They placed “master stashes” and “dead drops” in Lviv, Kyiv and Sumy regions, and also sent drugs by post.
The individuals involved were exposed by officers of the Drug Crime Units of the Lviv and Sumy regional police, together with investigators from the Department for the Investigation of Particularly Serious Crimes of the Lviv Regional Police Investigation Department, under the procedural guidance of the Lviv Specialised Defence Prosecutor’s Office for the Western Region. The arrests were carried out with tactical support from Lviv region police special forces.
According to law enforcement, the members of the group cooperated with specialised online platforms and ensured a full criminal cycle – from purchasing, receiving, transporting, storing and packaging to selling narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances to end users. They received payment in cash or to electronic crypto-wallets, and their estimated monthly income was around 4 million hryvnias.
On 7 July, law enforcement officers detained the suspects under Articles 208 and 615 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. During court-authorised searches of their homes and cars, police seized about 6 kilograms of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, large sums of money in various currencies, four premium-class cars belonging to the suspects, as well as other physical evidence. All seized items have been sent for expert examination, and the approximate value of the substances at “black market” prices is more than 4.5 million hryvnias.
In addition, police identified locations where the offenders had hidden their “master stashes”. All suspects have been notified that they are under investigation under Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – illegal sale of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in particularly large quantities. The article provides for a penalty of imprisonment for a term of nine to twelve years with confiscation of property.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. The court has chosen a preventive measure for all members of the group in the form of detention in custody without the right to bail, and the issue of applying to the court with a motion to seize the suspects’ property is also being considered.