(Photo: Agencies)

KIEV, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian police seized 400 kg of Columbian cocaine worth 60 million US dollars, exposing an international syndicate supplying drugs from Latin America to Western Europe, said Ukrainian national police head Sergiy Knyazev during his briefing on Tuesday.

According to Sergey Knyazev, 9 citizens of Ukraine, the Netherlands and Britain involved in drug dealing were detained during two stages of the operation. They face up to 12 years in jail for trafficking and possession of large quantities of the substance.

The drug seize that was carefully planned and executed between June 19 and July 1 is so far the biggest drug bust in the country's recent history.

The official noted that this year alone Ukrainian police seized 925 kilograms of heroin and 675 kilograms of cocaine.