After deal with 17-year-old, successful police operation: Everything happened on Telegram

Lithuanian police have dismantled a drug distribution network that operated through the Telegram messaging application, a platform used to sell substances even to minors. The operation led to the arrest of a Ukrainian citizen who was allegedly accepting orders and using drug couriers to deliver psychotropic and narcotic substances.

Investigators discovered that the Ukrainian national sought individuals to act as drug mules, instructing them to leave purchased substances in designated locations for buyers to retrieve. In exchange for their services, these couriers were paid with drugs rather than money. This method of payment was not new to law enforcement, as similar cases involving drug traffickers have been identified previously.

The investigation gained momentum after police apprehended a minor who had purchased drugs from the Ukrainian suspect in Vilnius. The minor, who was 17 at the time of the transaction, had hoped to receive "crystals" for free by agreeing to become a distributor. Although she received the drugs once, she was apprehended by officers shortly after. Police observed the suspect for an hour before arresting him as he handed drugs to another customer.

During questioning, the minor stated she met the suspect on Telegram about a week prior and was aware he sold drugs. She claimed he knew she was underage. The Ukrainian suspect, however, asserted he was unaware of her age and would not have sold to her if he had known. He also mentioned that during a police confrontation, the minor had claimed to be 17 but would turn 18 soon, a detail that proved inaccurate as she was still 17.