Under the procedural supervision of the prosecutors of the Prosecutor General's Office, an organized group was exposed, involved in the production and sale of psychotropic substances – mephedrone and amphetamine on an industrial scale throughout the territory of Ukraine.
The members of the group were detained and notified of suspicion.

How they acted

The investigation established that the organizers of the illegal scheme were two 31- and 32-year-old residents of the Cherkasy region.

One of them was responsible for purchasing precursors and chemicals through online stores with cryptocurrency payment, transporting them to drug laboratories, and handing them over to an accomplice.

The other ensured the functioning of the laboratories, personally engaged in drug synthesis, and organized large-scale sales.

The manufactured psychotropes were sent to all regions of Ukraine through logistics companies, and were also distributed through the so-called «masterclads» (wholesale bookmarks with prohibited substances).

Seized

During searches of the places of residence and stay of the group members, the following were found and seized:

• over 10.4 thousand litres of precursors, from which it is possible to produce about 2 tonnes of mephedrone;

• 250 kg of phenylnitropropene precursor (equivalent to 250 kg of amphetamine);

• 29 kg of finished mephedrone;

• laboratory equipment, mobile phones, and «rough» records.

In total, the seized substances are enough to make more than 8 million doses of drugs. Their implementation on the «black» market could bring drug dealers almost UAH 2 billion of illegal profit.

Legal qualification

Both members of the group were detained in accordance with Art. 615 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Prosecutors notified them of suspicion for:

• part 3 of Art. 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – illegal production and sale of narcotic drugs in large quantities;

• part 3 of Art. 311 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – illegal production and storage of precursors.

One of the suspects has previously been prosecuted for similar crimes.

Upon the motion of the prosecutors, the suspects were remanded in custody. They face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property for their crimes.

The pre-trial investigation is carried out by investigators of the Main Investigative Department of the National Police of Ukraine with operational support from the Department of Combating Drug Crime.

Note: according to Art. 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.

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Drug gang had been liquidated: more than 8 million doses of psychotropics worth almost UAH 2 billion were prevented from entering the «black» market