In Odesa region, police searched the shops of an investigative journalism firm

Police searched more than 200 stores of the U420 chain and the residences of people involved in its organization and control in Odesa region, as well as in Kyiv, Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv and Dnipro regions.

This was reported by the press service of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.

Investigators believe that the network of specialized stores sold products that were positioned as souvenirs, but in fact contained hazardous chemical compounds that can cause serious harm to human health and cause unpredictable side effects. These were goods disguised as souvenir cigarettes and drinks that actually contained hazardous chemicals.

"In order to conceal the illegal activity and legalize the proceedings, the organizers used more than 56 controlled business entities - the so-called "drops". These enterprises formally provided services, but in fact did not carry out any real economic activity," the Prosecutor General's Office said.

Investigations have now been launched into the creation and participation in a criminal organization, illegal trafficking in hazardous substances, and legalization of proceedings of crime. The company's activities have been documented since December 2025.

In March 2026, Bihus.Info journalists purchased souvenirs in three different stores of this chain in Kyiv and sent the items for examination to two laboratories: a private one and a state-owned one, the Research Forensic Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The results of the laboratory analysis of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Center revealed that the souvenirs purchased from the U420 chain contained a psychotropic substance, the circulation of which is prohibited - a synthetic cannabinoid classified as a type of spice.

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VIDEO: Bihus.Info

Later, Slidstvo.Info stated that the entrepreneur Volodymyr Cheban, whose sole proprietorship was listed on the U420 website, was most likely a fake.

Кирило Бойко