Prosecutors of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Prosecutor's Office have sent an indictment to the court regarding nine members of a criminal organization involved in the sale of the psychotropic substance sibutramine in the form of weight loss pills. They were exposed in April 2025 thanks to the cooperation of Ukrainian and Moldovan law enforcement agencies. 

Their actions have been qualified under Part 1, 2 of Article 255, Part 4 of Article 28, Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — the creation, leadership of a criminal organization and participation in it, as well as the illegal acquisition, storage, transportation, and sale of a psychotropic substance. Three others are additionally charged with the smuggling of psychotropic substances (Part 3 of Article 305 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). 

According to the investigation, the smuggling of drugs from the Republic of Moldova to Ukraine was organized by a resident of Khmelnytskyi region. She involved two residents of Mohyliv-Podilskyi in Vinnytsia region in her activities.

Other members of the criminal organization — residents of Kyiv, Chernivtsi, Khmelnytskyi, Rivne, and Vinnytsia — ensured their distribution.

Law enforcement documented 13 instances of the sale of psychotropics. During investigative actions, law enforcement seized over 150,000 tablets containing the narcotic.

The Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Moldova has reported suspicion against two more citizens of the country who, according to their data, were supplying dietary supplements containing psychotropic substances to the Ukrainian border.

The pre-trial investigation was conducted by the investigative department with operational support from the Department for Combating Drug Crime of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Khmelnytskyi region and the Security Service of Ukraine in Khmelnytskyi region.

Note: according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed 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.