According to Peeter Paisuots, head of the Lääne Division of ETCB´s Investigations Department, alpha-PVP is an extremely dangerous narcotic that causes rapid addiction and severe, irreversible health damage. “Thanks to the preliminary work carried out by customs officers, the risk analysis, and the trained nose of the drug detection dog, we were able to prevent an extremely large quantity of this deadly substance from reaching the drug market,” said Paisuots.
Paisuots emphasized that international cooperation plays a major role in combating drug trafficking. “Together with the customs and investigative authorities of neighboring countries, we conduct daily risk-based customs inspections at both border checkpoints and within the country to detect prohibited substances and items, dismantle organized crime networks, and prevent drugs from reaching the streets,” Paisuots stressed.
According to Liisi Kisler, prosecutor at the Lääne District Prosecutor’s Office, the expert analysis determined that the substance was relatively pure. “This quantity would have posed a serious threat to people if it had reached the streets, as a single dose is just 0.013 grams. Thus, the work of the customs officers has once again saved lives, since the risk of overdose with alpha-PVP is extremely high,” Kisler said.
The quantity of the drug seized by customs officers could have caused intoxication in nearly 90,000 people.
The prosecutor stated that the man and woman in the car were detained as suspects. “The Lääne District Prosecutor’s Office requested the Pärnu County Court to remand the 36-year-old man in custody. According to the prosecution, he could continue committing crimes if released,” said prosecutor Liisi Kisler.
The Pärnu County Court granted the prosecution’s request and placed the suspect in custody for two months. Prosecutor Liisi Kisler added that, so far, there has been no reason to detain the woman who was in the car.
A criminal investigation was initiated to determine the circumstances of the case. It is being conducted by the Tax and Customs Board’s Investigations Department under the supervision of the Lääne District Prosecutor’s Office.
Alpha-PVP is a stimulant belonging to the group of synthetic cathinones. Its use carries a very high risk of overdose, which can result in irreversible health damage or death. Alpha-PVP is often referred to as the “zombie drug” because under its influence, a person can lose touch with reality for hours, become aggressive, and the desired euphoria can quickly turn into paranoid psychosis, hallucinations, and other severe mental health disorders.
