Kyiv Police Bust Drug Traffickers
Law enforcement in Kyiv has arrested two men who were engaged in drug trafficking, with the value of their operation estimated at around 16 million hryvnias.
The suspects ran an underground shop selling illegal substances, hiding the drugs in fake speaker systems. If convicted, they face up to ten years in prison.
The arrests were made during an operation by Kyiv police officers, who caught the drug dealers in the act of selling another batch of narcotics, assisted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
Investigators discovered that for a year and a half, the criminals had been selling drugs through a clandestine store. The shop offered a wide range of narcotic and psychotropic substances, with customer communication happening via a dedicated Telegram channel.
The suspects received payment for their products through a cryptocurrency wallet, while deliveries were made via taxi services, with packages concealed inside fake audio systems. The investigation revealed that their monthly earnings were substantial, amounting to about $25,000 to $30,000.
The drug traffickers included a 22-year-old from Kyiv, who orchestrated the underground shop's operations, and his 38-year-old accomplice from Dnipropetrovsk region.
The group's organizer was found living in a semi-basement of a former restaurant, where they had set up a storage facility for the illegal substances. During urgent searches, law enforcement confiscated the entire inventory of the shop, including 1.5 kg of cocaine, 300 ecstasy pills, as well as mephedrone and cannabis. They also seized smoking devices, packaging equipment, mobile phones, and other material evidence.
The detained individuals were charged under parts 1 and 2 of article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for the illegal acquisition, transportation, and storage of narcotic drugs in large quantities with intent to distribute. The article carries a penalty of up to ten years in prison with asset confiscation. The drug dealers were placed in custody with a bail option set at 250,000 hryvnias.
The preliminary investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement conducting further inquiries to establish all circumstances surrounding the organized scheme and identify any potential additional participants.
