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Russian Interior Ministry uncovers three drug online shops, 10 arrested

A total of 3,775 drug-related crimes that involved Internet technologies have been uncovered in the first half of the year

MOSCOW, September 22. /TASS/. The Russian Interior Ministry has uncovered three drug shops that sold drugs on the RAMP (Russian Anonymous Marketplace) online market. Ten people have been arrested, Russian Interior Ministry Spokeswoman Irina Volk told TASS in response to a question.

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Russian police pull the plug on major online narcotics ‘drugstore’

"From July 27 to August 1, 2017, employees of the Russian Interior Ministry’s Head Drugs Control Department and Drugs Control Departments in Moscow, Moscow Region, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region uncovered and suppressed the activity of an interregional organized group that included members of an internet shop notionally named AS that sold drugs that were placed in hiding spots through the RAMP online market in the Tor closed network. Eight people who sold drugs through online shops have been detained," Volk reported.

In March 2017, the Interior Ministry members arrested two more people suspected of smuggling drugs from Belgium. "During a pat down search, 5,500 grams of the MDMA narcotic substances were confiscated from the detained that they planned to sell through the RAMP online market in the LAMBO and Lamborghini online shops," Volk added.

According to information provided by the Russian Interior Ministry, the group that sold drugs through the AS online shop distributed amphetamine, LSD blotter paper, methamphetamine and mephedrone. Police confiscated more than 8 kg of drug substances and psychotropics and almost 11,000 doses of LSD on blotter paper. "Seven criminal charges have been filed with life sentence as the harshest punishment. Search and investigative operations continue," Volk added.

A total of 3,775 drug-related crimes that involved Internet technologies have been uncovered in the first half of the year and 1,583 people were brought to justice. More than 760 kg of drugs were confiscated by police and 1,345 internet resources that sold drugs were blocked by the decision of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media.

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