Law enforcement officers exposed employees of the Odesa District Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support who extorted money from men at checkpoints in the region. They stopped the men, recorded their personal data, and informed them that they planned to bring them to the TCC for mobilization. This was reported by UNN with reference to the press service of the State Bureau of Investigation.
According to the SBI, in exchange for money, the TCC employees promised to “release” the men and help them get a deferment from service. For such a “service” they asked for ,5 thousand US dollars. In case of refusal to pay the money, the men were threatened with being put on the wanted list.
In particular, law enforcement officers documented the fact that money was extorted from a man who had relatives among those who went missing while performing combat missions. Therefore, he was legally deferred from mobilization
On November 21, one of the intermediaries was detained while receiving payment for the “service”. Currently, the issue of detention and serving suspicion notices to the remaining participants in the transaction is reportedly being resolved.
The detainee was served a notice of suspicion of obtaining an unlawful benefit by an official (Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). He faces imprisonment for up to 10 years.
It is also reported that during a search of the apartment of one of the possible suspects, he took out his service weapon and pointed it at SBI officers. He put the firearm in a combat position and threatened to return the seized cell phone and leave his house.
He has been detained and served a notice of suspicion of attempted murder of law enforcement officers in the line of duty (Article 348 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The issue of choosing a measure of restraint and removal from office is being decided.
He could face life imprisonment for his actions.