In Lviv region, a hearing regarding four individuals accused of illegal logging will soon take place. The regional prosecutor’s office has completed the pre-trial investigation and forwarded the case to court. The main charges involve illegal logging of trees, their transportation, and sale. There are also accusations of embezzlement due to abuse of power.
According to the investigation, the criminal activity was coordinated by a forester along with a local entrepreneur. The group also included two forestry masters. From December 2023 to February 2024, the group illegally cut down trees on the territory of one of the sections of the state enterprise ‘Forests of Ukraine’. The funds obtained from the sale of timber were distributed among the members of the criminal group.
The illegal destruction of the forest caused environmental damage estimated at around 200,000 hryvnias. The investigation was carried out by employees of the Territorial Directorate of the State Bureau of Investigation in Lviv, under the operational supervision of the Strategic Investigations Department in Lviv region. It is reported that until the guilt of these individuals is proven in court in accordance with the law, they are presumed innocent under the Constitution of Ukraine.