"Rubicon" operation: Ukraine, Poland dismantle major cross-border drug network Photo

Ukrainian and Polish authorities have shut down a cross-border smuggling channel for chemical precursors used in synthetic drug production, dismantling 34 drug laboratories that were capable of producing more than 700 kilograms of narcotics per month, Ukrainian officials said.

The State Customs Service of Ukraine said the operation, code-named “Rubicon,” was carried out by its Department for Combating Smuggling and Customs Violations and Lviv Customs in coordination with the Department for Combating Drug Crime and the Main Investigation Department of the National Police of Ukraine, Caliber.Az reports.

The effort was conducted within a framework of international cooperation with Europol and the Central Bureau of Investigation of the Polish Police.

Authorities said the smuggling route transported precursors from Poland into Ukraine, enabling the large-scale production of synthetic drugs including alpha-PVP, amphetamine, methamphetamine and mephedrone.

The investigation began after customs officers inspecting international postal shipments intercepted a batch of chemical precursors and alerted law enforcement. Officials then monitored the movement of prohibited substances from Poland into Ukraine, tracing supply chains and identifying individuals involved in the network.

Investigators determined that members of the criminal groups manufactured psychotropic substances in Poland and supplied raw materials to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. Polish law enforcement carried out a synchronised phase of the operation, helping to shut down cross-border channels for the supply of drugs and precursors, authorities said.

As a result of the joint operation, law enforcement agencies seized 220 kilograms of alpha-PVP, 156 kilograms of amphetamine, 17.6 kilograms of mephedrone, 7 kilograms of methamphetamine, 47 kilograms of cannabis and 7,000 MDMA tablets. More than 20 tonnes of chemical precursors were also confiscated — enough to produce over 4 tonnes of finished drugs.

Officials estimate that the total volume of seized narcotics exceeds 27 million doses, with a black market value of approximately 400 million hryvnia ($9.2 million).

So far, 123 individuals have been formally notified of suspicion, including under charges related to the smuggling of drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors. If convicted, they face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property, Ukrainian authorities said.

By Sabina Mammadli