Oleksandr Abakumov, head of a detective unit within the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, disclosed on November 6 that the leadership of the Russian drug syndicate Khimprom discussed bribing former interior minister Ihor Klymenko. The objective of this proposed payment was to stop the minister from initiating a ban on the specific chemical formulas used in the syndicate's drugs.
Abakumov made these remarks during an appearance on the UP. Chat program, which is broadcast on the Ukrainska Pravda YouTube channel. He identified the leader of the cartel by his nickname, The Mexican, and his real name, Yehor Burkin. According to the detective, Burkin was actively seeking a method to block a decision by the Interior Ministry to add the group's synthetic drugs to the list of banned substances.
The plan involved criminal intermediaries who advised against a direct approach to the minister. Instead of contacting Klymenko personally, the syndicate leader was told to offer a share in the drug business to individuals who held influence over him. Abakumov noted that the cartel head discussed the minister by name and saw a path to resolving his legal issues through that specific official.
Abakumov quoted the advice given to the drug trafficker: 'Why sort things out directly with the minister? Let's offer a stake in the deal to people who have the ability to influence him.' The detective emphasized that there was no direct communication between the cartel leader and Klymenko. The strategy relied on a chain of influence rather than a direct negotiation.
Current detective work is focused on identifying the specific individuals who claimed to have such influence over the former interior minister. These individuals allegedly planned to take a share of the criminal business in exchange for their intervention. Abakumov highlighted the financial scale of the syndicate, noting that it maintained enormous shadow budgets.
To illustrate the cartel's willingness to pay, Abakumov cited an instance where the syndicate offered two million US dollars to secure the dismissal of a single official who had refused to strike a deal with the criminals. This sum was intended to remove an obstacle in their operations, demonstrating the significant resources the organization commands.
This revelation comes as part of Operation Carthage, which began with searches conducted on November 4. The operation involved representatives from the Security Service of Ukraine and the police. During these actions, detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau served five members of a criminal organization with notices of suspicion.
The Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office provided procedural supervision for these actions. The investigation established that the criminal group had created a system of regular bribes to senior law enforcement officials. This system allowed scam call centers and other illegal businesses to operate without interference.
The pre-trial investigation identified Andrii Osipov as the organizer of the criminal group. Osipov, who had multiple prior convictions, recruited serving senior officials from the Security Service, the Prosecutor General's Office, and the National Police. He also brought in figures from the criminal underworld to participate in these illegal activities.
These connections enabled various illicit operations to continue, including scam call centers targeting both Ukrainian citizens and foreigners, drug trafficking, the illegal manufacture of counterfeit cigarettes, and the production of counterfeit foreign currency. Investigators also found that members of the organization were involved in assaults, abductions, and bodily harm committed in the interest of the group.
