Due to the efficient risk analysis techniques of Customs enforcement teams, heroin smuggled from the Middle East and aimed at the EU market was intercepted by Ukrainian Customs in Odessa, on 12 June 2015.
While the final destination of the narcotics was Poland, they had to pass through several borders, moving through Iran, Turkey and Ukraine. During the transit through Ukraine, the truck was stopped by Ukrainian Customs officers.
During the scanning of the truck loaded with rolls of hydro insulating bitumen arriving from Turkey at the sea port of Illichivsk, Ukrainian Customs officers detected dark spots inside the rolls. Further checks revealed the presence of transparent plastic bags with grey-pink powder of about 500 grams each that were confirmed to contain heroin. More than 500 kilos of heroin of an estimated value of 58 million euro were seized.
After a controlled delivery of the goods, several individuals were arrested.
The operation was successful due to the good cooperation and swift coordination between border posts and security services.