Cocaine worth 40 thousand dollars: in Odesa, a Moldovan entrepreneur is on trial for attempting wholesale drug trafficking

Cocaine worth 40 thousand dollars: in Odesa, a Moldovan entrepreneur is on trial for attempting wholesale drug trafficking

In Odesa, Moldovan entrepreneur Oleksandr Hladishev is on trial for attempting to sell cocaine for 40 thousand dollars.

This became known from the indictment under No. 12023160000001492 dated December 5, 2023.

Gladishev, a native of the Russian city of Orenburg and a citizen of the Republic of Moldova, held the position of director of LLC «Ukrgruz Consulting» (such a company could not be found). He is charged under Part 1, 3 of Article 307 and Part 3 of Article 309 of the Criminal Code.

According to the investigation, on December 5, 2023, the suspect intended to illegally acquire, store for the purpose of sale, and sell cocaine in especially large quantities. He purchased the drug, kept it at his place of residence, and then offered an acquaintance to find a buyer for 750 grams of cocaine worth 40 thousand dollars.

On December 9, 2023, the suspect handed over a portion of the cocaine (up to 1 gram) to an intermediary for delivery to the buyer. The intermediary, involved in confidential cooperation, voluntarily handed over the substance to the police. An express test confirmed that it was cocaine.

On the same day, the suspect gave the intermediary a polyethylene bag with glass jars (volumes of 200 g, 470 g, 750 g) filled with a white powdery substance. During a search of his Hyundai car, the jars were seized, and an express test confirmed the presence of cocaine (11.17 g from the sample). Gladishev was detained on December 9, and the next day he was notified of suspicion.

The investigator requested detention due to risks: hiding from the investigation and court (as a citizen of another country, without a permanent place of residence in Ukraine, unmarried, without children, and not officially employed), destruction or distortion of evidence (has access to a phone with information about the sale), and illegal influence on witnesses.

The court recognized the validity of the suspicion based on protocols of covert investigative actions, searches, express tests, and other materials. The risks were deemed real: the severity of the crime (Part 3 of Article 307 of the Criminal Code — from 9 to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property), categorical denial of guilt, lack of social ties in Ukraine, and Moldovan citizenship.

The defense repeatedly tried to release Hladishev from custody, but the arrest was continuously extended. Currently, he remains in the Odesa pre-trial detention center until April 10.