Ukrainian agribusiness: instead of a harvest — a drug laboratory producing 2 million "doses"

As reported by the National Police of Ukraine April 6, 2026, law enforcement officers uncovered and dismantled an organized group that had established a full cycle of production and distribution of narcotic drugs across the territory of Ukraine. Within the special operation, 54 searches were carried out simultaneously in 7 regions, and 12 suspects were notified of suspicion, of whom 10 have already been detained.

According to the investigation, each member of the group played a clearly defined role — from manufacturing drugs to their transport and sale. The drug business was organized on the territory of a former agricultural enterprise with an area of 300 sq. m, where methadone, amphetamine and methamphetamine were produced in three concealed premises.

During the 54 searches in 7 regions, law enforcement seized:

• about 200 kg of methadone;
• 127 kg of opium extract;
• about 20 tons of precursors;
• 20 kg of cannabis;
• 25 kg of poppy straw;
• laboratory equipment for drug production.

According to investigators’ estimates, from this raw material the suspects could have produced more than 2 million doses of drugs.

Separately, during the special operation the following was confiscated:

• 6 vehicles;
• more than 202 thousand hryvnias;
• almost 45 thousand US dollars;
• 11,350 euros.

The total value of the confiscated property exceeds 5 million hryvnias, and the approximate value of the seized narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors on the “black” market reaches about 700 million hryvnias.

The actions of the suspects have been classified under parts 2 and 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, as well as part 1 of Article 317 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The perpetrators face up to 12 years of imprisonment.

Investigators are preparing motions to the court to choose preventive measures. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing under the procedural guidance of the Ternopil Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

Reminder, earlier we wrote:

• She looked for clients, he transported the “goods”: the drug business ended in arrest
• In Mykolaiv, an organized group of drug dealers who earned a million monthly will be tried
• A “business for their own”: in the Mykolaiv region a couple sold drugs to acquaintances
• Over 20 kg of amphetamine per month and distribution across the country: members of the criminal group will be tried in Mykolaiv
• In Mykolaiv during Operation Rubicon two were detained for distribution of particularly dangerous psychotropic substances