The Mykolaiv Regional Police have revealed how many complaints they have investigated regarding drugs in pharmacies and discarded syringes

Residents are complaining about the situation outside the ‘Sotsfarm’ pharmacy. Photos provided by NikVesti readers

Between 2024 and 2026, the Mykolaiv Regional Police received three reports regarding the possible sale of drugs in pharmacies. Following investigations, the police found no evidence of any offences.

This is stated in the response from the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Mykolaiv region to an enquiry from NikVesti.

The reports were received on 21 July 2024, 11 December 2025 and 10 March 2026. The police recorded them and carried out investigations, but found no evidence of any offences.

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Separately, the police reported seven complaints from members of the public regarding syringes found and the possible sale of drugs near the pharmacy at 49/1 3rd Slobidska Street. All of these were received between 1 January 2024 and 14 August 2026.

Following the inspections, the police also found no evidence of offences relating to the trafficking of narcotic drugs.

The police are also currently investigating the activities of another pharmacy in Mykolaiv. On 28 July, the police received a report from a member of the public, via the city council’s executive committee, regarding possible violations at the pharmacy at 24-B Tsentralnyi Avenue. The investigation into this report is ongoing.

In addition, a separate investigation concerns a pharmacy at the junction of 3rd Slobidska Street and Tsentralnyi Avenue. On 13 July, the executive committee of the Mykolaiv City Council sent a letter to the police requesting an investigation into its operations.

The police have stated that this establishment is already being investigated as part of another ongoing criminal case, the details of which are not being disclosed. The City Council’s letter has been added to the case file. Law enforcement officers are currently carrying out the necessary investigative measures.

«Given that the activities of the pharmacy mentioned in the letter from the Executive Committee of the Mykolaiv City Council are being investigated by officers from Police Station №1 of the Mykolaiv District Police Department under the Main Directorate of the National Police in Mykolaiv Region as part of a pre-trial investigation into criminal proceedings initiated on 8 May 2026, the letter has been attached to the criminal case file,» the police reported.

Response from the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Mykolaiv Region to an enquiry from ‘NikVesti’

Response from the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Mykolaiv Region to a request from ‘NikVesti’

It should be noted that residents of the buildings at 24 Tsentralnyi Avenue in Mykolaiv have been complaining about the «Sotsfarm» pharmacy. According to them, after visiting the pharmacy, drug addicts go into the courtyard between the blocks of flats, where children play and a nursery is located.

Previously, local residents had drawn attention to a similar situation near the pharmacy on 3rd Slobidska Street.

Following widespread complaints from city residents, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych instructed the head of the city’s health department, Iryna Shamrai, to investigate the situation and ascertain the criteria used in Mykolaiv to determine the locations of pharmacies participating in the state programme and selling substitution maintenance therapy (SMT) drugs to drug addicts.

In turn, Iryna Shamrai explained that in Mykolaiv, such medicines are dispensed only at two municipal healthcare facilities, which are under the authority of the city council.

According to her, patients receive the medicines exclusively on a doctor’s prescription and under medical supervision. Meanwhile, pharmacies in Mykolaiv and the region do not dispense SMT medicines and do not take part in this programme.

Oleksandr Sienkevych therefore instructed the police to investigate the pharmacies about which residents have complained due to gatherings of people whom they suspect of using drugs.