Police Detain Offender Who Organized the Crossing of Conscripts Across Tisa
A 34-year-old resident of Zakarpattia, along with accomplices, arranged to transport two conscripted men from Ukraine to Hungary, bypassing border checkpoints by crossing the Tisa River on an inflatable boat. The cost of the ‘service’ was $6,000 per ‘client’.
Arrest Operation
The offender was exposed by operatives of the Migration Police Department and investigators from the Department for Investigation of Particularly Serious Crimes of the Lviv Region Police, in cooperation with officers from the Internal and Own Security Department ‘West’ of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, with procedural guidance from the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in the Defense Sphere of the Western Region.
On March 14, law enforcement detained the suspect in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine in Zakarpattia. As a result of initial investigative actions and searches, law enforcement officers discovered and confiscated $6,000, mobile phones, and other physical evidence.
Legal Consequences
The offender was charged with committing a criminal offense under Part 3 of Article 332 (Illegal transfer of persons across the state border of Ukraine) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The sanction of the article provides for imprisonment from seven to nine years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years with confiscation of property.
Pre-trial investigation is ongoing, police are establishing the suspect’s involvement in other crimes.
National Police of Ukraine, Specialized Prosecutor’s Office in the Defense Sphere of the Western Region, State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.