In Drohobych district, a scheme for the illegal extraction of mineral water of nationwide significance has been uncovered. According to the investigation, a 40-year-old resident of Drohobych is involved in organising the unlawful activity and has already been notified of suspicion. This was reported by the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation established that for at least 2.5 months, the man used the facilities of a mineral water bottling plant in one of the villages of Drohobych district, where his ex-wife was the director. The extraction was carried out from an abstraction well that had previously been used by the company on a lawful basis, but was now being tapped bypassing the metering devices through special pumping equipment.
The mineral water obtained was bottled in PET bottles of various volumes on conveyor lines and labelled with a well-known brand’s labels. Local residents were involved in packaging and transportation who, according to the investigation, did not know that the company was operating without a special permit to use subsoil resources. The finished products were taken away and sold to customers.
From March to June this year, according to preliminary estimates, almost 100 m³ of mineral water was extracted illegally. The damage to the state caused by these actions is estimated at almost UAH 2.4 million.
Under the procedural guidance of the Specialised Environmental Prosecutor’s Office of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the man has been notified of suspicion of the illegal extraction of mineral resources of nationwide significance, committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy (Part 3 of Article 240 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Main Department of the National Police in Lviv region, with operational support provided by the Strategic Investigations Department in Lviv region of the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police of Ukraine.
Pursuant to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and may not be subjected to criminal punishment until his or her guilt has been proven in the manner prescribed by law and established by a guilty verdict of a court.