Investigation of the case against 37 members of the psychotropic criminal group completed

December 22, MINSK. The Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee has completed the investigation of a criminal case against 37 members of an organized criminal group involved in illegal trafficking in especially dangerous psychotropic substances. BelTA was informed about this in the department of information and public relations of the agency.

According to the materials of the criminal case, from May 2020 to February 2021, members of the organized group illegally acquired, stored, transported and illegally sold especially dangerous psychotropic substances on a large scale for the purpose of sale.

"The organized group was characterized by a clear distribution of roles, a strict hierarchy and a close relationship with each other. Among the accused were wholesale and retail couriers who were engaged in the packaging, transportation, storage and placement in hiding places of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Five men additionally served as laboratory assistants who were engaged in production of psychotropic substances. Two were also transporters. Their duties included moving drugs from a neighboring state to the territory of Belarus and placing them in hiding places," the investigators said.

The implementation of the criminal scheme was carried out with the use of conspiracy measures.

All participants were tested. The illegal activity of the organized group was revealed by police officers in close cooperation with the Investigative Committee. In total, law enforcement officers seized more than 15 thousand doses of especially dangerous psychotropic substances from illegal circulation.

The department added that in March, July and September of this year, the investigation of criminal cases against 48 members of the same organized group was completed.

Investigators questioned witnesses and accused. In the course of the preliminary investigation, inspections of the scenes of incidents, verification of testimony on the spot, searches were carried out, during which especially dangerous psychotropic substances, mobile and computer equipment were seized. Its contents have been carefully analyzed in order to establish all the circumstances of the criminal activity of each of the group members. Examinations carried out by specialists of the State Committee for Combating and Examination were studied and attached to the materials of the criminal case.

When studying the personalities of the accused, it was established that their age ranged from 19 to 53 years. Seven out of 37 had previously been prosecuted and only four had a permanent place of work or study.

During the investigation, other facts of the illegal activities of some defendants were also established. Thus, a 19-year-old resident of Bobruisk, through psychological influence, promises of large earnings, involved a known minor in the commission of a particularly serious crime, who later began to perform the functions of a wholesale and retail courier and perform the duties of a laboratory assistant. His actions were additionally qualified by the investigation under Part 3 of Article 172 of the Criminal Code.

Another - 31-year-old person involved - was involved in the systematic infliction of bodily harm and beatings to his ex-wife. The investigation established four such facts. In one case, he broke a girl's nose. Everything happened on the basis of personal hostility and jealousy. The defendant was under the influence of ALCOHOL at the time of the crime . The actions of a 31-year-old resident of Gomel were additionally qualified under Part 1 of Article 154 (systematic beatings that did not entail the consequences provided for in Articles 147 and 149 (torture) of the Criminal Code.

According to the results of the investigation, the members of the organized group, depending on the role of each, were charged under various parts of Article 328 (illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their precursors and analogues), Art. 328-1 (illegal movement of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their precursors or analogues across the State Border of Belarus) of the Criminal Code. A preventive measure in the form of house arrest was applied to a 21-year-old girl with a dependent minor child, and to the rest of the accused - in the form of detention.

The investigation has been completed, the criminal cases have been transferred to the prosecutor for referral to the COURT.

The investigation of the criminal case against other members of this organized group is ongoing. Currently, their number is more than 60 people.