In Bukovyna, a 43-year-old man will stand trial, accused of organising the smuggling of more than 942 kilogrammes of kratom. The substance was allegedly brought into Ukraine disguised as matcha tea.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
According to the investigation, the shipment was delivered from South-East Asia to Romania. From there, the man arranged for it to be transported into Ukraine, involving two minibus drivers. He told them they were carrying matcha tea.
In one case, the cargo was accompanied by documents marked "MATCHA TEA"; in the other, part of the goods was concealed among parcels and bags. The organiser himself travelled in a separate car.
On 11 August 2026, at the "Porubne–Siret" border crossing point, the drivers chose the "green corridor". However, during a customs inspection, officers of the Chernivtsi Customs Service found 30 boxes containing 195 packages of green powder.
An expert examination established that it was crushed leaves of the plant Mitragyna speciosa (kratom), with a total mass of more than 942 kilogrammes. In Ukraine, the circulation of this substance is restricted.
The man is accused of smuggling narcotic drugs on an especially large scale under Part 3 of Article 305 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. He faces up to 12 years’ imprisonment with confiscation of property.
The indictment has been sent to court.
Under Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent until their guilt is proven by a court’s guilty verdict.
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