Drug Traffickers Uncovered in Ternopil Region: Losses Estimated at 700 Million Hryvnias
The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has announced the exposure of a large group of drug traffickers in the Kremenets district of Ternopil region, where a massive drug laboratory was discovered, serving as a hub for illegal drug production and distribution.
According to reports from Ukrinform, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has revealed the dismantling of a significant drug trafficking organization in the Kremenets district of Ternopil region. Law enforcement officials uncovered a large-scale drug laboratory that had become a center for the illegal production and distribution of narcotics.
Information provided by the Ternopil Regional Prosecutor's Office indicates that 12 individuals have been charged with illegal production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, shipment, and sale of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances under parts 2 and 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Additionally, one person is suspected of organizing and maintaining places for the illegal use and production of drugs, which falls under part 1 of Article 317 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
According to investigative data, ten of the suspects have already been detained. Members of the group ensured a complete cycle of illegal drug trafficking—from production to distribution through an extensive network. This points to a serious organization that operated within Ukraine.
As part of the investigation, 54 searches were conducted across seven regions of the country, during which law enforcement officers seized a vast quantity of narcotic substances. Specifically, approximately 200 kilograms of methadone, 127 kilograms of opium extract capable of producing over 2 million doses, nearly 20 tons of precursors, about 20 kilograms of cannabis, and 25 kilograms of poppy straw were found.
Preliminary estimates suggest that the value of the seized narcotic substances on the black market amounts to around 700 million hryvnias. This indicates the scale of operations conducted by the group and their significant impact on the drug market in Ukraine.
In addition to narcotics, searches also yielded over 60,000 US dollars, 10,000 euros, 260,000 hryvnias in cash, 32 gold coins, and 17 silver coins. Law enforcement also confiscated five vehicles, firearms, ammunition—including magazines for the AK-74 Kalashnikov assault rifle—as well as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and handwritten notes.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, conducted by investigators from Ternopil region with operational support from drug crime units, criminal analysis police, and the Security Service of Ukraine. This exposure marks a significant step in the fight against drug crime in Ukraine and demonstrates the efforts of law enforcement in combating these serious offenses.
It is worth noting that recently, a criminal group engaged in large-scale production and sale of drugs and psychotropic substances was also uncovered in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. This underscores that the issue of drug trafficking remains a pressing concern for many regions across Ukraine.
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