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A network smuggling and distributing the dangerous drug kratom has been exposed in Ukraine

Tamara Vasylchuk
Tamara Vasylchuk Journalist
A network smuggling and distributing the dangerous drug kratom has been exposed in Ukraine
Over 500 kilograms of narcotics were seized. Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General gp.gov.ua
The prohibited substance was disguised as dietary supplements and sent by post throughout the country, including to military personnel.

In Ukraine, law enforcement officers have dismantled a criminal organisation that smuggled and sold large quantities of the highly dangerous drug kratom from the Czech Republic. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

According to the investigation, the scheme had been operating since April 2024. To conceal their activities, the prohibited substance was sold under the guise of biologically active supplements, using the services of the logistics company Nova Poshta. It has been established that the drug was distributed throughout Ukraine, including among servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

To document the criminal activity, law enforcement officers conducted a series of operational measures, including test purchases. On 26 January, a large-scale special operation took place: in Kyiv, Kyiv, Zakarpattia, Zaporizhia, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, more than 20 searches were conducted simultaneously — in the homes of the suspects, places where drugs were stored and packaged, as well as in vehicles.

As a result of the investigative actions, more than 500 kilograms of narcotic drugs were seized, with a wholesale value exceeding UAH 5 million, as well as cash, bank cards and packaging equipment.

Six members of the criminal organisation were detained. They were notified of their suspicion under articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine concerning participation in a criminal organisation, illegal trafficking and smuggling of narcotic drugs committed by an organised group. The court has already chosen a preventive measure for the suspects — detention without bail.

The prosecutor's office reminded that kratom is a tropical plant Mitragyna speciosa, common in Southeast Asia. Its leaves contain the psychoactive alkaloid mitragynine, which is many times stronger than morphine. In small doses, the substance has a stimulating effect, while in large doses, it causes addiction. By Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1306 of 15 November 2024, kratom and mitragynine were officially included in the list of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors.

Drugs, smuggling, Office of the Prosecutor General, special operation

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