A large-scale scheme for the illegal smuggling of men across the state border has been liquidated in Bukovyna. As reported by Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, the organizers include a deputy and a police officer, UNN reports.
Details
According to the Prosecutor General, ten participants turned escapes abroad into a well-organized business. Their "clients" included not only those liable for military service but also active-duty servicemen. The scheme operated systematically and in a coordinated manner. Transfers across the country, conspiratorial routes, nighttime logistics, rented apartments and hotels, GPS navigation, radio stations, thermal imagers, drones, and a clear distribution of roles among the participants.
At least 10 people were illegally smuggled every month. Since December last year, about 60 men have crossed the border this way. The organizers' estimated profit exceeded 700,000 US dollars. Among the participants in the scheme are a deputy of the Irpin City Council and a police officer from the Chernivtsi region
According to the investigation, the deputy transported the men and used his status to minimize risks during inspections. The police officer coordinated movement through checkpoints.
Subsequently, the individuals were hidden, formed into small groups, and smuggled into Romania outside of official checkpoints.
27 searches were conducted in the Chernivtsi region and Kyiv. UAVs, a GPS tracker, thermal imagers, video surveillance cameras, 58 mobile phones, 9 radio stations, computer equipment, rough notes, gear, weapons, and cash in various currencies worth over 2.5 million UAH were seized.
All participants in the scheme have been detained. They have been notified of suspicion regarding the illegal smuggling of persons across the state border of Ukraine and obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during a special period. The court has already selected preventive measures for the suspects. The sanctions of the articles provide for up to 9 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property, Kravchenko added.
As the Prosecutor General noted, it is particularly telling when people who themselves represent the state are involved in such schemes.
One was supposed to ensure compliance with the law, the other received a mandate of trust from the community. Instead, they became part of an illegal business. A position, mandate, or shoulder straps do not provide any immunity from the law. I thank the prosecutors of the Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office, the employees of the SBU, and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine for the joint result. We continue to work