The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine announced the completion of the investigation into a large-scale case of illegal kaolin mining worth almost UAH 190 million, involving the head of a structural unit and a specialist of a local enterprise. This was reported by the Prosecutor General's Office, writes UNN.
Details
The specialized environmental prosecutor's office of Cherkasy region sent an indictment to the court regarding the illegal extraction of kaolin – a mineral of national importance. According to the investigation, the enterprise, having a valid special permit, systematically violated its terms, extracting minerals outside the permitted area and without approvals.
From November 2020 to March 2023, almost 14 thousand tons of kaolin were illegally extracted, which caused damage to the state of about UAH 190 million. The actions of the accused are qualified under Part 4 of Article 240 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – violation of the rules for the protection and use of subsoil, which led to grave consequences.
The pre-trial investigation was conducted by investigators of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Cherkasy region with the operational support of the Strategic Investigations Department of the DSR NPU.
Reference
Kaolin is a strategic raw material in demand in the production of ceramics, paper, cosmetics, and medical preparations, and its illegal extraction creates serious economic and environmental risks for the state.