Detectives of the Territorial Department of the Economic Security Bureau in Odesa region sent an indictment to the court against two people whose illegal activities led to mass poisoning with surrogate alcohol: 8 people died, 4 were hospitalized.

It has been established that a resident of Rozdilnya district of Odesa region bought technical alcohol from Dnipro, received it by mail and then diluted this alcohol with water, dyes, food additives and packaged it in a container.

He gave the alcohol to his acquaintance,who sold it in a local store.

Detectives of the Bureau conducted 14 searches in Odesa region and the city of Dnipro. 5 urgent searches were conducted directly in the settlement where the tragedy occurred. In particular in the home of the saleswoman in the store where ready-made alcoholic products were sold and in the residences of the victims.

According to the results of the investigation the remains of unsold alcoholic beverages were seized.

Detectives conducted another 9 searches in the city of Dnipro at the place of storage of illegally manufactured excise goods. As a result technical alcohol in barrels of 20, 200 and 1000 liters, perfume alcohol, technical solvents in an assortment in containers of 200 liters and 1000 liters, mobile phones, office equipment, etc. were discovered and seized.

The medical examination recognized that the surrogate alcohol contained a poisonous chemical substance – methanol which caused the death of people.

The organizer of the "business" and the saleswoman were notified of the suspicion of committing a criminal offense provided for in Part 3 of Art. 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine on the sale of alcoholic beverages that pose a threat to the life and health of people which led to poisoning or caused the death of a person.

The indictments have been sent to the court.

The pre-trial investigation of the criminal proceedings was carried out by the detectives of the Territorial Department of the ESBU in Odesa region under the operational support of the Office of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Odesa region, the Department of Counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine and the procedural management was the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.

Earlier the detectives also identified the supplier of alcohol used to make the mentioned alcoholic beverages. He was informed of the suspicion under Part 1 of Art. 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. By court decision the defendant was sentenced to a fine of UAH 85,000 with confiscation of property.