SBI stops activity of international cocaine supply channel to Ukraine

Officers of the State Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine exposed and stopped the activities of a transnational channel for the supply of cocaine from the European Union to Ukraine

According to the investigation, the drug trafficking was organised by an international criminal group involving citizens of Ukraine, Armenia, the Czech Republic and Germany. The group operated in a secretive manner, with a clear division of roles and multi-level logistics. The organiser had previously served a sentence in the United States for similar crimes. After returning to Ukraine, he resumed his illegal activities, involving accomplices abroad. The offender, who was a permanent resident of Germany, coordinated deliveries from the EU. Another participant, together with his father, was responsible for receiving, storing and selling drugs in Ukraine

Initially, cocaine was transported in small batches using specially selected couriers who hid the drugs in their bodies. The deliveries were regular and served to test the routes. At the same time, the group was preparing to scale up the traffic, considering maritime logistics and containerised transport through Odesa's port infrastructure, as well as ways to circumvent customs and border controls

The investigation established that the criminals planned to import up to 2 kilograms of cocaine per week. The value of one batch on the illegal market exceeded USD 200 thousand. The intentions to involve individual customs and border guard officers were also documented. The SBI is checking the possible involvement of officials

The organiser of the channel was detained in Odesa. He was served a notice of suspicion under part three of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The sanction provides for up to 12 years in prison. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing