In the town of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, a pensioner received a five-year prison sentence for cultivating 950 plants of poppy intended for baking. The woman admitted she purchased seeds in the spring and planted them on her property, where she watered, weeded, and fertilized the crops throughout the season.[1]
The court found her guilty under Article 310 of Ukraine's Criminal Code for illegal planting and growing of poppy. While the judge noted her sincere remorse and first-time offense as mitigating factors, the final ruling included a one-year probation period instead of immediate incarceration.[1]