الia's_probe uncovers alleged criminal network and threats against Ukrainian journalists
Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities say they exposed a criminal organization linked to fraudulent call centers, drug trafficking, illegal U420 shops and alleged protection by law-enforcement officials. Recordings show participants discussing threats, physical attacks and acid attacks against journalists investigating U420. The investigation remains active, and the allegations have not received a final judicial determination.
أبرز النقاط
- NABU and SAP announced the exposure of a criminal organization in Operation “Carthage” on November 4, 2026.
- The organization allegedly coordinated at least 52 fraudulent call centers employing approximately 2,700 people.
- A network of around 30 U420 stores in Kyiv was linked to the investigation; searches were conducted on April 14, 2026.
- Forensic analysis found a synthetic cannabinoid classified as a type of “spice” in U420 products.
- Recordings show participants discussing attacks on journalist Denys Bigus and blogger Ihor Lachynkov.
- A figure known as “the Mexican” proposed pouring acid on Bigus’s face.
- Investigators said law-enforcement officials had been notified in advance of the U420 searches.
لماذا يهمّ ذلك
The allegations point to a possible protection network inside law-enforcement institutions and a scheme that used apparently legitimate shops and changing chemical formulas to distribute a prohibited substance. The published discussions of threats, physical attacks, arson and acid attacks also raise concerns about pressure on independent investigative journalism. The investigation remains active, and the allegations have not received a final judicial determination.
ماذا حدث
NABU and SAP said Operation “Carthage,” launched on September 5, 2026, exposed a criminal organization involved in fraudulent call centers, drug distribution, kidnapping and violence. Investigators linked the organization to the transnational “Khimprom” cartel and said it coordinated at least 52 fraudulent call centers, where approximately 2,700 people worked. The network allegedly paid law-enforcement officials to allow the call centers and other illegal businesses to operate without interference.
The organization was also connected to the U420 retail network, which sold solutions containing a synthetic cannabinoid by mixing it with other substances in a way that allegedly evaded existing restrictions. Journalists from Bihus.Info purchased products from three Kyiv stores and sent them to a private laboratory and the Ministry of Internal Affairs forensic center. The tests identified a synthetic cannabinoid classified as a type of “spice,” whose circulation is prohibited. The Cabinet of Ministers added the substance to its list of prohibited substances on February 5, 2026, several days after the journalists’ purchases.
Investigators said law-enforcement officials had notified the criminal organization in advance of show searches conducted at U420 stores on April 14, 2026. Recordings published in the case also showed participants discussing ways to stop the journalists’ investigation. After initially considering paying journalists, they discussed threats, physical attacks and arson. Denys Bigus, founder of Bihus.Info, was targeted in discussions that included acid attacks and beatings with hammers, while Ihor Lachynkov and the author of the ProKyiv Telegram channel were also mentioned.
كيف تصفه المصادر الأوكرانية
Ukrainian reporting emphasizes the implications for internal security, particularly the alleged protection of call centers and illegal businesses by officials from the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Police and the Prosecutor General’s Office. Substantial attention is also given to the public-health danger of U420 products, the forensic identification of synthetic cannabinoids and the network’s links to the Khimprom cartel. The published recordings are presented as evidence of attempts to intimidate media figures after Bihus.Info investigated U420.
الخلفية
The first physical U420 stores opened in Kyiv in spring 2025. The network later numbered around 30 locations and was preparing to expand to Kharkiv, Lviv, Dnipro and Odesa. Bihus.Info’s purchases and laboratory testing preceded the substance’s inclusion on the Cabinet of Ministers’ prohibited list on February 5, 2026. Operation “Carthage” began in September 2026 and was publicly announced in November.