The State Bureau of Investigation has exposed a large-scale scheme of extortion from flower importers in the Lviv region involving a senior official of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection. This was reported by the press service of the State Bureau of Investigation, UNN reports .
Details
It is noted that the scheme was organized by the deputy director of one of the departments of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection together with officials of the Department of Phytosanitary Security of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Lviv region.
They extorted money from entrepreneurs for issuing phytosanitary certificates that certify the presence or absence of pests in plants. Such certificates are required to import plants from abroad. The amounts ranged from several hundred to thousands of hryvnias, depending on the quantity of goods, etc.
SBI officers detained an official of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Kyiv while he was receiving $3,000. The official demanded this money from the businessman on a monthly basis for his goods to receive the relevant certificates without hindrance, and in case of refusal, he promised to create obstacles,
There were also documented cases of extortion by phytosanitary control inspectors of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Lviv region.
Recall
The head of the department and the chief specialist of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection in Volyn demanded bribes from market laboratories. They were detained while handing over $1200, both face up to 8 years in prison.