At the “Uhryniv-Dolhobyczów” border crossing point in Lviv region, during an in-depth inspection of a minibus, border guards discovered a hiding place behind the rear seat in which a man liable for military service was concealed. According to the investigation, the vehicle was driven by a 43-year-old resident of Rivne region who had the right to cross the border legally.
Investigators established that this man had set up a scheme to profit from men liable for military service by illegally smuggling them across the state border. He allegedly looked for “clients” via social media, offering to take them out of the country in a specially equipped hideout in the minibus, while he himself planned to cross the border as a lawful driver.
In July this year, a 24-year-old man responded to his offer in one of the messaging apps. The parties discussed the financial terms of the arrangement in veiled form, without directly stating the amount of payment. After agreeing a departure date, they planned to cross the border with Poland: the driver – officially, the passenger – in the hideout.
During processing at the “Uhryniv-Dolhobyczów” crossing point, border guards found the concealed passenger. Under the procedural guidance of the Sheptytskyi District Prosecutor’s Office, the transporter has been notified of suspicion of organising and illegally smuggling persons across the state border of Ukraine under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Law enforcement officers note that this man has previously been held criminally liable for a similar offence. In 2023, the court found him involved in the activities of an organised group that entered men liable for military service into the “Shliakh” system as drivers of a carrier company, which entitled them to leave the country. At that time, he was fined 170,000 UAH and banned from holding certain positions for one year.
The pre-trial investigation in the new proceedings is being conducted by Police Station No. 2 of the Sheptytskyi District Police Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv region, with operational support provided by the border operational and search unit of the 7th Carpathian Border Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
According to the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime until their guilt is proven in the manner prescribed by law and established by a guilty verdict of a court.