Thanks to evidence collected by the Security Service and the National Police, three members of the infamous criminal organization 'Ndrangheta have been sentenced to 11 years in prison with confiscation of property. The trio was involved in smuggling cocaine from South America to the European Union via Ukraine.

The Ukrainian law enforcement detained the organizer of the channel through our country and two of his accomplices in August 2021 as a result of a special operation in Odesa.

At that time, the drug traffickers were trying to smuggle 80 kg of cocaine into the EU. They hid the contraband in refrigerated containers with bananas that were being transported from a South American country.

During the inspection of the cargo, 100 bricks of cocaine were found, disguised in technological cavities.

One of the suspects was detained directly near the seaport.

Two more were detained on the territory of an industrial market in Odesa region, where they had arrived to meet the illegal cargo and arrange its further transit to Western Europe.

According to the investigation, the detained perpetrators are two residents of Balkan countries and a Ukrainian citizen who were responsible for organizing drug trafficking within the 'Ndrangheta.

Based on the evidence collected by SSU investigators, the court found the accused individuals guilty under Articles 305.3 and 307.3 of the CCU (smuggling of narcotic drugs in particularly large quantities, their acquisition, storage and transportation for the purpose of sale).

The investigation was carried out by the SSU Office in Odesa region in cooperation with the National Police under the procedural supervision of Odesa Region Prosecutor’s Office.