Ukrainian police have detained a criminal group suspected of running a large-scale drug trafficking operation in Chernihiv, northern Ukraine. The ring allegedly generated more than $120,000 a month through illegal drug production and distribution across the country, the National Police of Ukraine said Monday.
Three residents of Chernihiv and the Kharkiv region are accused of organizing the operation. During the raid, police seized more than five kilograms of psychotropic substances, including amphetamines, Alfa-PVP salts—known as flakka or bath salts—and MDMA pills (ecstasy).
The suspects allegedly rented two apartments and a summer house in Chernihiv, where they set up a full-scale drug manufacturing, storage, and packaging operation, producing up to 10 kilograms of psychotropic drugs each month.
Police said the summer house served as an illegal drug lab. Officers recovered laboratory equipment, including a refrigerator, electronic scales, glass flasks, plastic canisters with chemical liquids, and zip-lock bags. They also seized more than one kilogram of a substance resembling amphetamine.
The traffickers reportedly organized a nationwide supply network for wholesale shipments of amphetamine and ecstasy through a Telegram channel. They fulfilled orders from retail dealers by setting up so-called “master stashes”—large, hidden caches of drugs from which smaller quantities were distributed.
Investigators also said the suspects had developed a plan to reinvest part of their profits into expanding the drug operation and paying salaries to members of the group, while using the rest for personal expenses.
If convicted, the suspects face up to 12 years in prison and confiscation of property.
