A resident of Ternopil is suspected of producing fake documents for crossing the border for USD 18,500.
Under the procedural guidance of the Sambir District Prosecutor’s Office, a 41-year-old resident of Ternopil has been notified of suspicion. He is charged with organizing illegal crossing of a person across the state border of Ukraine (part 3 of article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
According to the investigation, in June of this year, the suspect promised to organize an illegal border crossing for a man of conscription age. During a phone conversation with the ‘client’, the man provided details of the plan, including a scheme that involved producing fake documents, which would subsequently allow unhindered departure from Ukraine. He valued these services at USD 18,500.
For the purpose of concealment, the suspect instructed part of the money – USD 15,000, to be given to a bus driver at one of Lviv’s bus stations, who was unaware of the illegal plan, to which he agreed. The remainder was to be paid upon successful border crossing. The suspect was detained under article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, after handing over the stipulated money to a designated individual.
A preventive measure of detention with the right to post bail has been selected for him. Investigative actions are ongoing to identify all involved parties. The pre-trial investigation is conducted by investigators of Sambir District Police Department No. 1 of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv region, with operational support from the Migration Police Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Lviv region and operational officers of the 7th Border Carpathian Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
Note: According to article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a legal manner and established by a court conviction.