According to investigators, the group included citizens of Ukraine, Armenia, the Czech Republic and Germany. The participants had a clear distribution of roles and acted secretly. The defendant, whom law enforcement officials consider to be the organizer of the group, previously served a sentence in the United States for similar crimes, and upon returning to Ukraine, he resumed illegal activities, attracting accomplices abroad.
At the first stage, drugs were transported in small quantities, couriers hid cocaine in their bodies. One of the group's next goals was a large-scale expansion of traffic, in particular through maritime transport and the port infrastructure of Odessa, in an attempt to ensure “guaranteed” passage of customs and border controls. They planned to import up to 2 kg of cocaine weekly; the cost of one shipment on the black market exceeded $200 thousand, the SBI said.
Possible attempts to involve customs and border guards in the transaction have also been documented, and law enforcement officers are checking their possible involvement.
The organizer of the channel was detained in Odessa, he was informed of suspicion of illegal transportation and sale of narcotic drugs (Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanction of the article provides for punishment of up to 12 years in prison. The issue of choosing a preventive measure is now being decided.
