Russia-linked drug network built across Ukraine

A Russian citizen and organized crime kingpin, known by the alias 'Mexican,' has been identified as the mastermind behind a massive drug distribution network spanning Ukraine. The network, comprising 105 retail outlets, was so brazen that it was advertised within the Kyiv Metro system. The kingpin left Russia in 2019 and has been coordinating the entire criminal operation remotely from abroad. This case highlights the transnational nature of organized crime and its infiltration into Ukrainian society.