The perpetrators were exposed by operatives of the Migration Police Department in the Lviv Region and the State Border Service of Ukraine together with the employees of the Department of Investigation of Particularly Serious Crimes (detectives) of the Investigative Department of the Lviv Oblast Police, under the procedural guidance of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
As the law enforcement officers established, the organized criminal group included: the organizer – a 53-year-old resident of Volyn region and four other people – residents of Lviv and Volyn regions. All of them had clearly divided responsibilities, worked together and coordinated.
Criminals organized a scheme for conscripted men to cross the state border of Ukraine during wartime and ensured their transportation across the border. For this purpose, “clients” were fictitiously registered for a position, the tenure of which gives such an opportunity, and entered into the relevant databases. Later, they were consulted, route plans were developed, and they were accompanied outside the state, providing, in particular, relevant documents and transport.
Law enforcement officers documented 14 cases of illegal transportation of conscripted citizens of Ukraine abroad by criminals. Depending on the purpose and duration of stay abroad, “clients” paid them from 500 US dollars to 4,000 US dollars.
The law enforcement officers informed the organizer and members of the criminal group about the suspicions of committing crimes under Part 3 of Article 332 (Illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The sanction of the article provides for punishment – deprivation of liberty for a period of seven to nine years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a period of up to three years with confiscation of property.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.
Communications Department of the Lviv Oblast Police