The police have submitted to the court the case file on a gang of robbers from Korostyshiv, Zhytomyr region. The cops proved the involvement of this group in a number of criminal offenses committed against 22 people. This was reported by the National Police of Ukraine, UNN writes.
Last year, law enforcement officers in the Zhytomyr region exposed a gang that extorted money through threats and physical violence. They detained members of the group whose actions terrified residents of the entire region. Now the police have proved their involvement in a number of criminal offenses committed against 22 people.
Details
According to the investigators, the gang was led by a so-called "lookout". He and nine of his accomplices organized a "business" that consisted of extorting money from people through threats of murder, violence, property damage and serious bodily harm. They divided all the "earnings" among themselves.
As part of their "business activities," they set up several torture chambers in Korostyshiv where they "processed" people to speed up the payment of non-existent debts.
They also had 6 cars that were used to arrive at crime scenes and simultaneously transport victims against their will to places of detention and even labor exploitation. And in the trunks of the cars they constantly kept things that helped them "beat out" non-existent debts from people: a metal bat and sports rubber belts.
It was established that a 50-year-old resident of Korostyshiv, who had previously been prosecuted and had been in the status of a so-called "lookout" since 2017, created a stable hierarchical group engaged in extortion of money and property. He first involved two accomplices in the illegal activity, and later the group grew to 10 people aged 23 to 50.
In addition, the police found that sometimes torture led to death. They were able to confirm one such case.
During the investigation, investigators proved the involvement of one of the group members in the murder. A resident of Korostyshiv, having met the 31-year-old man on the territory of the Khoroshiv community, began to express claims to him about an outstanding debt. Subsequently, he struck the "debtor" with a metal bat more than fifty blows to various parts of his body. The man died from his injuries."
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On August 15, law enforcement officers detained the criminal group and conducted 26 urgent searches, as a result of which they found and seized 5 cars - Lexus, Skoda, BMW 525, BMW 525, Renault Logan, jewelry and cash: over $3.7 thousand, almost 9 thousand euros, and over 280 thousand hryvnias. Computer equipment, mobile phones and draft records, including an original promissory note for 56 thousand dollars, were also seized.
In addition, they found five combat grenades, a revolver, and ammunition of various calibers. Among other things, they found instruments of torture - brass knuckles, bats, knives, an ax, boxing gloves. They also seized several rolls and packages with various narcotic substances, 12 blisters of methadone, and 5 ampoules of morphine.
On March 22, investigators of the Zhytomyr Region Police Investigation Department completed the pre-trial investigation and indictments against the members of the criminal organization have been sent to court. The operation was conducted jointly with the SBU and under the supervision of the regional prosecutor's office.
The gang leader is charged with creating and leading a criminal group (Article 255(5) of the CCU), extortion (Article 189(4) of the CCU), human trafficking (Article 149(3) of the CCU), kidnapping (Article 146 of the CCU), resistance to law enforcement officers (part 3 of Article 342 of the CCU), threat or violence against a law enforcement officer (part 2 of Article 345 of the CCU), abduction, misappropriation, extortion of documents, stamps, seals (Article 357 of the CCU).
His accomplice is charged with premeditated murder with particular cruelty (Article 115(2)(4) of the Criminal Code), participation in a criminal group (Article 255(2) of the Criminal Code), extortion (Article 189(4) of the Criminal Code), illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives (Article 263 of the Criminal Code).
Other participants are charged with a number of serious crimes, including participation in a criminal group, extortion, human trafficking, illegal imprisonment or abduction, kidnapping, misappropriation, extortion of documents, illegal handling of weapons and drugs.