28 people were arrested after raids on Tuesday in a case against a group that sold drugs to children and youths across the country.

Prosecutors of the Office for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism – Iasi Territorial Service decided to detain 28 accused in the case of committing crimes related to the creation of an organized criminal group and carrying out transactions with products, knowing that they are likely to be psychoactive without having a permit issued in accordance with of the law, reports Agerpres.

In this case, Iasi investigators conducted 121 searches on Tuesday in 23 counties – Iasi, Alba, Hunedoara, Sibiu, Neamts, Bacau, Brasov, Constanta, Cluj, Maramures, Dolj, Braila, Galati, Vranca, Arges, Buzeu, Botosani, Suceava, Timis, Arad, Mures, Harghita, Vaslui – and in Bucharest.

“It has been stated that, starting from the end of 2022, several persons working or controlling two commercial companies in the county of Iasi have created an organized criminal group for the purpose of importing, exporting, producing, producing and other operations with substances sensitive to having a psychoactive effect . In this context, they produce and sell electronic vaping devices and “edible” products (jellies, cakes, dragees, etc.) knowing that they contain substances that are likely to have psychoactive effects, HHC substances identified during investigations, HHC- P, HHC-O, H4CBD, THC-P and in some cases including THC. It was also established that in the period from October 2022 to September 2023, the members of the criminal group produced for the purpose of commercialization more than 100 thousand Vape devices, which contained substances causing psychoactive effects (HHC, HHC-P, HHC-O, H4CBD, THC -P) which is likely to endanger the lives of people who consume them,” DIICOT said on Tuesday.

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As a result of the investigation, 28 companies were found to be selling such products nationally, taking advantage of the fact that vape-type devices can be sold freely and jelly can be sold to anyone, DIICOT said.

Also, according to the investigators, it was established that minors have access to these substances, which pose a danger to their lives.

DIICOT notes that studies have revealed an exponential increase among young people (mainly in the area of ​​schools and high schools) in the consumption of “Vape” products, which contain derivatives of the hemp plant and, therefore, have a psychoactive effect. .

“Some of these products contain a chemical derivative of THC (obtained synthetically) with the common name HHC (hexahydrocannabinol), a substance that has the ability to produce psychoactive effects (states of euphoria, hallucinations and even temporary medical problems) similar to and comparable to the consumption of cannabis new psychoactive substances, which are generally called “ethnobotanical”. The conducted research also showed that “vape” type devices containing HHC are mainly sold on the online market (specialized sites and well-known sites, the subject of which is the general trade of various products), as well as in some stores located in shopping centers. Regarding the psychoactive potential of the substance HHC, the EU’s Early Warning System (EWS) issued the first warnings in October 2022, the substance itself is currently intensively monitored by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA),” he said. DIICOT also said.