Under the procedural guidance of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, five citizens have been exposed and notified of suspicion for the illegal sale of narcotic substances, committed by an organized group (Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). 

According to the investigation, in February 2025, a 42-year-old resident of Kharkiv organized the transfer of methadone from Mykolaiv region to Donetsk. He involved three acquaintances from Barvinkove, as well as a resident of the Kramatorsk district, in the criminal scheme. Two of them packaged the "goods" received from the organizer and handed them over to accomplices who made drops in Sloviansk and in the territory of the Oleksandrivka community. One such stash contained from 5 to 20 "checks". 

Every month, the dealers sold methadone for amounts ranging from 500,000 to 1,000,000 UAH. The cost of one dose was 1,200 UAH.

In September 2025, law enforcement stopped their illegal activities. During searches authorized by a investigating judge at the suspects' residences and in their vehicles, cash, drugs, phones, and bank cards were discovered and seized. 

At the request of the prosecutors, they are being held in custody. The sanction of the article provides for punishment of 9 to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.

Pre-trial investigation - Main Directorate of the National Police in Donetsk region.