'Call center' to recruit people into drug trafficking, Ukraine and Albania crack down on criminal network

By Maxim Krus, UKRMEDIA NEWS

Authorities in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Albania have dismantled two recruitment cells of the criminal network "Khimprom", which used fake online job advertisements to recruit people into drug trafficking.

Seven people, including the organizers of illegal activities and recruiters, were arrested. Law enforcement also seized digital evidence, narcotic mixtures, and pre-prepared bags.

According to the Ukrainian National Police, the recruitment network was created by a 36-year-old Russian citizen, known by the nickname "Mexican", who is currently hiding abroad.

Call center operators published fake job advertisements and offered candidates “free” accommodation and food.

They recruited people to work as human resources (HR) managers and operators, as well as chemists, assemblers, couriers, logistics workers, warehouse workers and postal workers.

The candidates were then distributed among the various branches of the criminal network.

The international special operation began in August 2025 and included Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Albania.

Law enforcement agencies identified the organizers of the scheme, its operators, hundreds of recruited people, and 31 stores on Telegram.

In May 2026, recruitment call centers in Kiev and the surrounding region were closed and 27 active members of “Khimprom” were identified.

In July, 17 more members of the criminal organization were arrested in Kazakhstan.

The final phase included 35 checks/control operations in Kiev and five regions of Ukraine.

Among the seven arrested people are the organizers of illegal activities and recruiters.

Law enforcement seized around 4,000 pieces of digital evidence, 3,600 rolled cigarettes ("joints"), 24 kilograms of the mixture used for their production, which contained the synthetic cannabinoid PINACA, as well as more than 1,900 pre-packaged bags.

These are the results of the destruction of two recruitment cells, and not the entire “Khimprom” network.