The State Bureau of Investigation, together with the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, has eliminated an international cocaine supply channel to Ukraine from the European Union countries. The SBI reported this.
According to the investigation, transnational drug trafficking was organized by a criminal group that included citizens of Ukraine, Armenia, the Czech Republic, and Germany. The group operated under conditions of strict conspiracy and used an extensive network of contacts in several countries.
The organizer of the scheme had previously served a sentence in the United States for crimes related to the illegal trafficking of narcotics. After returning to Ukraine, he resumed his illegal activities and recruited accomplices in the territory of the European Union.
Initially, cocaine was delivered to Ukraine in small batches by couriers crossing the border. At the same time, the group members prepared large-scale drug shipments, including using maritime logistics through the port of Odessa.
According to the attackers' plans, up to two kilograms of cocaine were to be imported into Ukraine every week. The value of one such shipment on the black market exceeded 200 thousand US dollars.
During a special operation, law enforcement officers detained the organizer of a criminal group in Odessa. He was charged under Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - illegal production, storage, transportation or sale of narcotic drugs as part of an organized group.
Investigative actions are currently underway to identify all participants in the scheme and the channels of financing drug trafficking.
