Ukraine uncovers international cocaine trafficking route from EU
Photo: State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine (ssu.gov.ua)
Ukraine has shut down an international criminal network that established stable supplies of cocaine from European Union countries and was preparing a large-scale expansion of drug trafficking, according to the State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine.
Law enforcement authorities have uncovered a transnational cocaine smuggling network involving nationals of several countries.
The scheme featured multi-layered logistics, strict role allocation, and attempts to ensure unhindered border crossings.
How criminal scheme worked
According to investigators, the trafficking operation was organized by an international group involving citizens of Ukraine, Armenia, Czechia, and Germany.
Coordination was conducted from abroad, with members operating covertly and using established routes. The organizer had previously served a sentence in the United States for similar offenses and, after returning to Ukraine, re-established the criminal network.
Supply routes and expansion plans
At the initial stage, cocaine was transported in small batches by couriers who concealed the drugs inside their bodies. This approach allowed the group to test routes while minimizing risks.
At the same time, the suspects were negotiating a shift to container shipments using the port infrastructure of Odesa, planning regular deliveries of up to two kilograms of cocaine per week. The black-market value of a single shipment exceeded USD 200,000.
Arrests and investigations
The organizer was detained in Odesa and notified of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 307 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. Investigators are also examining the possible involvement of individual customs and border officials.
The investigation is ongoing, with efforts underway to identify other members of the network, including those currently outside the country.
Officers of the State Bureau of Investigation, in cooperation with the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, recently served suspicion notices to two officials of a military unit in the Khmelnytskyi region over alleged misuse of servicemen for private work.
Additionally, the head of a unit of Kyiv’s Darnytskyi District Police Department was detained while attempting to flee with more than UAH 16 million in cash; the State Bureau of Investigation opened proceedings over suspected abuse of office.
