Case of drug trafficking ring that operated in Lithuania and Spain sent to court

KAUNAS – A criminal case involving a suspected drug trafficking ring that operated in Lithuania and Spain has been sent to court for trial, prosecutors said on Monday. 

Seven members of the criminal organization were charged with very serious offences in the case.  

According to the case-file, the group was organized and led by a person identified only by their initials K. K., who was helped by a person identified as A. K.

The other defendants were responsible for buying large and very large quantities of narcotic and psychotropic substances, repackaging them into smaller quantities and selling in the city of Kaunas and surrounding areas. 

As part of the investigation, a total of 25 people were detained and over 60 searches were carried out. One officer was injured during the detention operation.

The seven members of the organized criminal group allegedly possessed very large quantities of cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy, as well as firearms and a very large quantity of ammunition between early 2019 and November 2021.

Evidence has been gathered that the group spent part of the money from the drugs on the operation, maintenance and physical protection of a cannabis laboratory in Spain.

Some of the money was also used to transport socially vulnerable people to Spain to work on cannabis plantations, where very large quantities of cannabis were weighed, pressed, vacuumed and packed into 10-kilogram boxes. The drugs were then transported to certain locations in cars escorted by security guards, according to the press release. 

Prosecutor Nomeda Urbonaviciene of the Organized Crime and Corruption Investigation Division at Kaunas Regional Prosecutor's Office says that the leaders of the criminal organization could face life imprisonment.