Ucrania denuncia una gran organización criminal vinculada con altos cargos de seguridad
Las autoridades anticorrupción Few Ukrainian exposed a large criminal organization during the “Карфаген” operation. The group allegedly ran scam call centers, trafficked drugs, produced counterfeit euros and organized attacks, while senior SBU and National Police officials were detained amid claims of official protection.
Puntos clave
- El 4 de noviembre, la NABU y la SAPKvillageUnavailable сообщили del uncovering de una gran organización criminal en la operación «Карфаген».
- La organización habríaWarmestoperado centros de llamadas fraudulentos, tráfico de drogas, fabricación de euros falsos y ataques contra personas.
- La investigación أربكidentify that a group that called «Хімпром» produced and distributed synthetic drugs, including mephedrone and alpha-PVP.
- Serhiy Duka was detained on 4 November after resisting the search and threatening the investigators with a weapon, according to the NABU.
- Yegor Burkin, identified by journalists as the leader of the transnational cartel, is wanted by Ukraine and has been under personal sanctions since December 2023.
- The criminal organization included at least 12 people and allegedly used corruption among law-enforcement officials to protect its activities.
- Investigators say the cartel expanded its operations after the start of the full-scale invasion with the support of influential Ukrainian law-enforcement officials.
Por qué importa
The investigation alleges that a criminal network operated scam call centers, drug trafficking, counterfeit-euro production and commissioned attacks with the possible protection of influential officials. The detentions of senior SBU and National Police personnel raise questions about oversight and possible official involvement in organized crime. According to investigators, the cartel expanded its activities after the start of the full-scale invasion.
Qué ha ocurrido
On 4 November, the Ukrainian National Agency on Corruption Prevention and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office announced the exposure of a large criminal organization during the «Карфаген» operation. According to the investigation, the group engaged in scam call centers, drug trafficking, counterfeit-euro production and commissioned attacks, and included at least 12 people.
The NABU detained Serhiy Duka after detectives arrived at his home with a search warrant. The agency said he obstructed investigators and threatened them with a weapon; armed individuals reportedly prevented the search from starting for about three hours. Duka had been identified by journalists as «Akim», an influential SBU official who allegedly helped the group avoid responsibility, resolve matters within the SBU and the Prosecutor General’s Office, and obtain official information and other privileges.
Journalists also identified «Mexican», described by investigators as a founder and leader of the cartel, as Yegor Burkin, also known as Yegor Levchenko. He is wanted by Ukraine, has been under personal sanctions since December 2023 and is reportedly hiding in Mexico. The NABU identified «Criminal» as the organization’s founder and leader; journalists linked this alias to Andrii Osypov, who had been convicted previously. Other aliases included «Price» for National Police official Volodymyr Tsenov and «Consultant» for Kyiv-region police official Oleksandr Demianchuk.
Cómo lo cuentan las fuentes ucranianas
The Ukrainian account focuses on the scale of the exposed organization, its alleged links to senior officials, the identification of participants who had been hidden behind aliases, and the detention of senior SBU and National Police personnel. It also emphasizes that the organization allegedly continued expanding after the start of the full-scale invasion and highlights investigators’ claims of links to Russian intelligence.
Contexto
The SBU reported a 2023 operation against «Хімпром» in which 89 drug traffickers were detained and drug laboratories were dismantled. The SBU linked the cartel to Russian intelligence, while an audio recording cited in the investigation mentions cooperation with representatives of Russia’s FSB. Ukrainian journalists subsequently identified most of the participants whom anti-corruption agencies had referred to only by aliases.