Law enforcement officers in Lviv region have exposed a man from Sokal who organized an illegal scheme to help military-aged men avoid mobilization and leave Ukraine.
According to the investigation, the man offered draft-eligible individuals assistance in crossing into EU countries without going through legal border procedures. One of the proposed escape methods included smuggling a client into Poland by hiding him in a vehicle and bypassing official border control.
The total fee for this service was $33,200 USD, which covered both transport to the border and the actual illegal crossing.
The organizer was apprehended under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine while receiving the final portion of the payment — $30,000. During the search, law enforcement seized a total of $33,000 in cash, mobile phones, a vehicle, and other evidence indicating unlawful activity.
Denys Konovaliuk, head of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, emphasized that all attempts to profit from illegal border crossings will be detected, and those responsible will face justice.
The suspect has been officially charged under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine for the illegal transportation of persons across the state border. The court ordered his detention with the possibility of bail.
The pre-trial investigation continues, and authorities are identifying other individuals involved in the scheme.
The operation was conducted under the procedural guidance of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, in cooperation with the National Police and the Security Service of Ukraine in the Lviv region.
Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.