'Internet drug lord' escapes during extradition from Ukraine
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) is conducting an internal investigation into how a citizen of Israel and the United States, founder of the international online marijuana store, Amos Dov Silver could escape from the international Boryspil Airport during his extradition, reads the message of SBU on Facebook.
The staff members of the SBU, who were responsible for the extradition, are suspended from their duty during the investigation. Those staff members, who were directly involved in extradition, are now giving explanations to the Ukrainian Office of internal security. Amos Dov Silver is wanted on an arrest warrant.
Meanwhile, the Spokesperson of the State Border Guard Service Andry Demchenko in comments to 112.ua news outlet reported, that Amos Dov Silver escaped from the SBU officers even before the passport control.
"This person did not pass the passport control. He even did not come to the line of passport control. The border guards do not know in which airport zone this person disappeared as the border check is the last one. He did not come for it," he said.
Kyiv's Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case due to the escape of the drug lord, reports the Office on its Facebook page.
"The Kyiv Prosecutor's Office opened the criminal proceeding due to the escape of the foreign citizen at the territory of the international Boryspil Airport during his extradition to the State of Israel. The fugitive was put on the international wanted list and was detained in Kyiv on March 2019," reads the message.
Criminal proceedings were initiated under part 1 of article 393 (escape from prison or custody) of the Ukrainian Penal Code.
Amos Dov Silver comes from a Jewish orthodox family. He left his family at the age of 15 and then became an activist of the movement for the legalization of marijuana. He doesn't hide the fact that he repeatedly took drugs. He organized a series of demonstrations to promote cannabis. Amos Dov Silver was detained in Kyiv in March at the request of Israel. He is accused in Israel of leading a criminal group that organized the mass sale of drugs.