MOSCOW, May 20. /TASS/. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has foiled two attempted transit shipments from Latin America to European countries of more than 1,800 kilograms (almost 4,000 lbs) of cocaine worth six billion rubles (over $74.6 million), the FSB’s press office said in a statement on Tuesday.

"As a result of monitoring procedures over foreigners arriving in Russia, it was established in March 2025 that a Ukrainian national and his accomplice, who was granted Russian citizenship in 2022, were involved in illegal drug trafficking," the statement reads.

"It has been established that in the interests of a European criminal ring they were set to deliver from Russia to European Union member states a particularly large shipment of cocaine, previously illegally brought to our country from Latin America," the FSB stated.

Both suspected drug dealers were detained red-handed while transporting drugs, and 1,110 kilograms (over 2,447 lbs) of illicit substances were confiscated from them.

"In April 2025, two nationals from a South American country planned to carry out a similar drug smuggling operation in Russia. Having arrived in our country, they were planning to organize a delivery to Europe of a cocaine batch weighing 725 kilograms [some 1,600 lbs]. Both drug dealers were detained," the FSB noted in its statement.

"In the course of the operative and investigative measures, it was established that the de-facto owners of the seized illegal shipments were also considering selling some of the drugs on the territory of the Russian Federation," the statement added.

The FSB Investigation Department has launched criminal cases against the detained suspects on charges of illegal production, distribution, and transportation of drugs in a particularly large amount stipulated by the Russian Criminal Code.