Russian Police Raid Two Dealers and an Online Drug Network

 

Several days ago, we published a piece on darknet—and clearnet—drug trafficking in Russia. That week, Russian law enforcement had busted suppliers, vendors, and drug resellers. Not even a full week had passed before Russian police started catching more drug criminals with connections to the internet.

Cannabinoid a-PVP Dealer

In the Udmurt Republic, Russian law enforcement intercepted a 22-year-old drug dealer near a house where he had conducted business at some point in the past. Officers searched his person and found 125 grams of TMCP-2201. TCMP-2201 seems to only exist as an XLR-11 degradant or thermal isomer. Very odd chemical to see on the streets.

Upon a search of the man’s residence, officers found 120 grams of a-PVP. This cathinone is an every-day find for police in Russia. During questioning of the 22-year-old suspect, police lessened that he had ordered the drugs online for resale on the streets. Unlike many RAMP dealers who send so-called “employees” to make deliveries, this man delivered his own drugs.

The suspect is currently in custody until his upcoming hearing. Officers said that he could receive up to 20 years in prison.

Drug Runner caught with 25 Kilograms of Mephedrone

Officers of the Office of Transportation of the Russian Interior Ministry arrested an unidentified resident of Samara for drug trafficking. Officers inspected the baggage of a passenger train headed into the Khabarovsk Territory. Inside one of the searched bags, the officers found 25 kilograms of “synthetic” drugs.

The official representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Irina Wolf, explained that “during the inspection of baggage the passenger train, in [the suspect’s] road suitcase were vacuum bags with a crystalline substance with a total weight of 25 kilograms.” According to “expert opinion,” she added, “the seized drugs are derived from N-methylephedrine.”

She also explained that during questioning, the suspect told investigators that he had delivered bookmarks in various areas. The cost of his work was 100 – 700 rubles per “batch” of drugs. He found the “work” on the internet at some point in the past and decided to pursue it as a source of income, according to his statement to police investigators.

He is currently being held in police custody until further notice.

Online Crime Network with 50 Arrests

Perhaps the largest drug bust took place all throughout Russia during raids on more than 50 members of a drug trafficking group. One of the leaders created an online drug market in 2014. As his drug site grew, so did the network of high-ranking group members. The “organizers” created their own online stores and sold drugs of their own, furthering the reach of this criminal network. Group members communicated with each other through Telegram messenger, according to the police.

The network of “online stores” offered drug trafficking in the Chelyabinsk and Orenburg regions, Perm Krai, Republics of Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, and Udmurtia. The high ranking “organizers” made more than 150 million rubles from the online stores. The DGCPI of the Russian Interior Ministry and GU MVD in the Chelyabinsk region arrested “more than 50 people” throughout different regions in Russia. “When conducting searches, [officers] seized more than 10 kilograms of synthetic drugs, 2 million rubles, 9 cars of different brands, as well as real estate,” – said Irina Wolf, the official Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson.

Authorities have 37 suspects in custody for preventative measures and another 14 members are under conditional house arrest.