Law enforcement has uncovered a large drug syndicate with a monthly turnover exceeding 18 million UAH.

Law enforcement agencies, in collaboration with border guards, uncovered 18 laboratories across six regions of Ukraine that produced over 60 kg of amphetamine monthly. This information was reported on Wednesday, February 5, by the Office of the Prosecutor General and the State Border Guard Service.

Investigators identified criminals who supplied raw materials for amphetamine production to 18 drug laboratories operating in six regions of Ukraine via postal services and so-called "drops." Each month, approximately 60 kg of amphetamine was produced from these materials and sold through anonymous Telegram channels. Another group of criminals was responsible for laundering the money obtained from these sales. According to investigators, the monthly turnover of the drug syndicate exceeded 18 million UAH.

“They sought out individuals willing to provide their personal information for the opening of bank accounts for a thousand hryvnias, creating personal accounts in mobile applications where millions of profits from the illegal sale of precursor substances for amphetamine production were subsequently deposited. In this manner, the suspects recruited over a thousand straw persons, from whose accounts more than twelve million dollars were transferred within a year to two deposit crypto wallets, which were later converted to cash in Cyprus,” stated the report from the State Border Guard Service.

Law enforcement conducted over 100 searches in Kyiv and ten regions of Ukraine. During the investigative actions, they discovered and seized luxury vehicles, cash in various currencies, 60 kg of cannabis, 7 kg of psychostimulants, 3.5 kg of amphetamine, 900 ecstasy pills, bank accounts and SIM cards, as well as other evidence of criminal activity.

Eleven members of the drug syndicate were notified of suspicions regarding the establishment and leadership of a criminal organization, as well as participation in it, laundering of property obtained by criminal means, and illegal manufacturing, acquisition, and storage of precursors (Part 2 of Article 255, Part 3 of Article 209, Part 3 of Article 311 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). A court will soon determine the preventive measures for the suspects.