Cocaine for $200 thousand per batch: SBI exposes criminal network
2 January 14:26
Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, have stopped the activities of a transnational cocaine supply channel from the European Union to Ukraine. This was reported by the press service of the State Bureau of Investigation, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
International criminal scheme
According to the investigation, the drug trafficking was organized by a group of citizens of Ukraine, Armenia, the Czech Republic and Germany. The group operated with high levels of secrecy, using couriers and multi-level routes.
The organizer of the scheme had previously served a sentence in the United States for drug crimes, and after returning to Ukraine, he resumed his illegal activities and recruited accomplices in the EU.
Logistics and scale
The drugs were initially transported in small batches via couriers, while large-scale deliveries were being prepared.
At the same time, the group was working to significantly expand the scale of drug trafficking. To this end, the suspects negotiated alternative delivery channels, including maritime logistics and container transportation through the port infrastructure of Odesa. They paid special attention to the possibility of “guaranteed” customs and border control.
“The plan was to import up to 2 kg of cocaine per week. The cost of one such batch on the black market exceeded USD 200 thousand,” the SBI noted.
Detention and liability
The organizer of the group was detained in Odesa. He was served a notice of suspicion under Part 3 of Art. 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (large-scale drug trafficking). The issue of choosing a measure of restraint is currently being decided.
The sanction of the article provides for up to 12 years of imprisonment.
The SBU also documented intentions to involve individual customs and border guard officers in illegal activities. The SBI is checking the possible involvement of officials in this transaction.
Investigative actions are ongoing, the full range of those involved and possible international connections of the channel are being established.
