Five accomplices of an organized group from Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions are suspected of illegally exporting pine trees illegally cut down in Ukraine to a European country for a total of almost 43 million hryvnias. This was reported by the Zhytomyr Regional Prosecutor's Office, according to UNN.
Under the procedural supervision of the Zhytomyr Region Prosecutor's Office, the criminal group was served a notice of suspicion of illegal transportation of timber across the customs border of Ukraine, committed repeatedly, in a particularly large amount, legalization (laundering) of proceeds of crime, transportation and sale of illegally logged timber, which caused grave consequences, and forgery of documents and their use (Art. 3 Art. 201-1, Art. 209, Art. 246, Art. 246(4), Art. 358(3), Art. 358 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),
Details
The investigation established that the director and owner of two Kyiv companies organized the illegal supply of timber and lumber to a European country. For this purpose, he involved four other accomplices - private entrepreneurs, a broker and an accountant.
The smugglers acted according to a well-developed criminal scheme. They ordered the manufacture of timber products from roundwood of unknown origin at various woodworking enterprises, including those in Korosten district. The manufactured timber was falsified with documents of origin. Based on the documents with false information, the broker issued the relevant certificates for customs clearance and shipment abroad.
According to the investigation, between December 2020 and April 2023, the criminal group smuggled almost UAH 43 million worth of illegally obtained timber across the customs border of Ukraine on the basis of fake documents. The proceeds received in foreign currency were legalized through controlled private entrepreneurs and used for their own needs.
During the searches, about 230 pine logs, lumber, notebooks with draft accounting were seized and arrested.
A private house, two apartments, a car and a share in the authorized capital of a legal entity belonging to the suspects were seized for further confiscation.
Two of the defendants - the organizer and his most active accomplice - are in custody. Pre-trial restraints were also imposed on the others.
Recall
Officials of the state forestry enterprise organized the illegal felling of 185 oak trees over 100 years old on the territory of the Chornobyl Radiation and Ecological Biosphere Reserve, causing damage worth over UAH 59 million.