Kryvyi Rih Drug Ring Made 30 Million UAH Selling Methadone via Telegram

Organized Crime Group Busted in Kryvyi Rih

According to Главком: In September 2025, law enforcement in Kryvyi Rih dismantled an organized network that distributed methadone and methamphetamine through the Telegram messaging app. The operation was orchestrated by a local resident, who set up a system for packaging narcotics into individual doses, later handed off to couriers for delivery. Buyers paid via bank cards, and all orders were managed through Telegram. Preliminary estimates indicate the group earned roughly 3 million UAH per month, with total revenue over its lifespan reaching approximately 30 million UAH.

Investigation Findings

During the investigation, authorities executed authorized searches, seizing a substantial quantity of narcotic substances, including:

• methadone
• methamphetamine
• A-PVP
• cannabis
• ecstasy
• other psychotropic substances

Additionally, they found:

• an RG-42 grenade
• a vehicle
• 5,300 US dollars
• 21 mobile phones
• bank cards
• digital scales
• SIM cards
• packaging equipment
• handwritten notes

The estimated street value of the confiscated substances is around 100,000 UAH.

Six members of the organized group have been formally charged. The court ordered the coordinator to be held in pretrial detention without the option of bail. Three other members were also remanded in custody but with bail set, while two were placed under round-the-clock house arrest. One suspect remains at large. In February 2025, authorities launched the first phase of Operation Rubicon, a nationwide crackdown that included over 500 searches across 21 regions. That operation uncovered four organized groups and one criminal enterprise specializing in the production and distribution of synthetic cathinones such as alpha-PVP, amphetamine, methamphetamine, and mephedrone.

Orders were taken via Telegram. Group members used the messenger to coordinate operations, employing coded language and passing drop-site details to buyers.

The dismantling of this Kryvyi Rih network is part of a broader push by Ukrainian law enforcement against drug crime, particularly the illegal synthetic drug trade. Operation Rubicon, which spanned multiple regions, highlights the growing effectiveness of authorities in detecting and shutting down such criminal enterprises. Exposing these schemes not only reduces drug availability but also marks a crucial step in combating organized crime in Ukraine.

The recent dismantling of the drug distribution network in Kryvyi Rih highlights a broader issue of organized crime involving narcotics in Ukraine. Similar cases, such as the sentencing of a Kyiv resident for his role in a cocaine supply operation, underscore the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in combating drug trafficking. For more on the legal repercussions of drug-related crimes, see this report on prison sentences for drug supply involvement.