Russian police have smashed a gang supplying synthetic narcotics to Russia from China and seized 80 kilograms of drugs, the Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) in the city of Perm reported on Thursday.

The smuggling gang, including two Russian brothers and a dozen Chinese couriers, was discovered when one of the Russians tried to send parcels containing 500 grams of synthetic drugs to Novosibirsk and Vladivostok from a post office in the city of Perm.

Perm drug police then found a cache of 26 kilograms of various narcotics including amphetamines and synthetic chemicals JWH-018 and JWH-075.

"The substances were originally sent to Beijing from Shanghai, where an underground chemical factory was based," the police said. "A Beijing resident sent information about the shipment to two of his compatriots who live in Moscow. They in turn received 35 to 60 kilograms of the smuggled shipment at Sheremetyevo airport.”

The drugs were disguised in transit as additives to animal feed and solid beverages, the FSKN said.

A courier from Perm went to Moscow to pick up the drugs from the Chinese. “Afterwards the Perm resident went home by train. There the drug dealer got connected with a dispatcher via Skype and took orders; later he sent them out by express delivery and mail,” the FSKN said.

The two brothers sent at least 500 grams of drugs worth 250,000 rubles ($8,000) in about 200 parcels across Russia since September 2011.

All 12 detainees may face up to 20 years in prison for narcotics trafficking.