Gang busted in Kirovohrad region for poisoning victims and extorting fake debts – National Police chief
Police have detained a gang in the Kirovohrad region, the organizer of which is a criminal authority. The perpetrators poisoned people with medicines and demanded non-existent debts, National Police head Ivan Vyhivsky has said.
"Kirovohrad region. Police officers have detained a gang that poisoned citizens, stole money from their accounts and demanded non-existent debts. The organizer is a 44-year-old criminal authority nicknamed "Vaso," a former "watcher" of the Kropyvnytsky temporary holding facility (SIZO), he said on Facebook on Wednesday.
According to the head of the National Police, the case against "Vaso" is being considered in court on the fact of spreading criminal influence.
"Under the clear leadership of their leader, six businessmen fraudulently gained access to the victims' bank accounts, and in some cases poisoned them with medicines," Vyhivsky said.
He added that each member of the gang had his own role in the scheme: some entered into the trust of potential victims, gave them psychotropic drugs - clonidine or azaleptol, others stole phones, gained access to mobile banking and transferred funds to fake accounts.
"They have at least 10 episodes on their account. Military and civilian personnel were affected. The total amount of damage is over UAH 400,000," he added.
The police detained the perpetrators, seized evidence, and the suspects were notified of suspicion.