Sold Drugs via Telegram: Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Khmelnytskyi Region
A 26-year-old resident of Khmelnytskyi, who was a member of an organized drug-trafficking ring, was sentenced to 9 years in prison with confiscation of property. The sentence was handed down based on a plea agreement reached with the prosecutor.
The investigation established that in March 2024, one of the men created an online store on Telegram to sell narcotics. Subsequently, to expand the illegal business, he formed an organized group and recruited three acquaintances—two men and a woman—to join it.
One of the group’s members was the 26-year-old defendant. He administered the Telegram channel, accepted orders from customers, paid for the purchase of drugs, and kept track of the money received from their sale.
Also, on the organizer’s instructions, the man distributed the proceeds among the group members and transferred money from crypto wallets to their bank accounts.
Other accomplices were responsible for purchasing and transporting the drugs to a warehouse set up in the woman’s apartment. There, the drugs were stored, packaged, and prepared for further distribution via mail and so-called “stashes.”
In total, law enforcement documented 15 incidents of the illegal storage, transportation, and shipment of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
During the criminal proceedings, the 26-year-old defendant entered into a plea agreement. In addition, he donated 100,000 UAH to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The court approved the agreement and imposed the sentence agreed upon by the parties under Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
