Operatives of the Lviv border detachment, together with other law enforcement officers, exposed an organized criminal group that established a channel for the illegal transportation of conscripted men abroad under the guise of drivers transporting passengers.
As the law enforcement officers established, the head of the company engaged in international transportation organized illegal transfer services for men of conscription age. The man enlisted three accomplices to carry out the criminal intent. “Businessmen” were looking for clients who intended to evade mobilization and illegally travel abroad for personal purposes.
For this purpose, the attackers entered into fictitious employment contracts with the pseudo-drivers, and then entered information about them into the “Shlyah” system. The cost of such a “service” depended on the length of stay abroad. A one-way ticket cost 4,000 euros per person.
During the authorized searches, law enforcement officers discovered and seized vehicles used for illegal activities, mobile phones, computer equipment, seals and stamps, draft records and fictitious employment documents.
Police investigators informed the four defendants that they are suspected of having committed a criminal offense under Part 3 of Art. 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. Precautionary measures have been chosen for the participants of the scheme.
Actions to stop illegal activities were carried out by border guards of the operative investigative unit of the Lviv border detachment, employees of the Criminal Investigation Department and investigators of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Lviv region under the procedural guidance of the Lviv specialized prosecutor’s office in the field of defense of the Western region.