A scheme involving the illegal departure of 150 men using maritime documents was uncovered in the Odesa region

Forged maritime documents, fake contracts, and thousands of dollars for the chance to leave the country—law enforcement officials announced the dismantling of a smuggling ring that helped men subject to military service leave the country. Nearly 150 men had already crossed the state border through this scheme.

This was reported by the press service of the National Police of Ukraine.

Law enforcement officials uncovered a scheme in the Odesa region to illegally smuggle men subject to military conscription abroad under the guise of riverboat crew members. According to investigators, the scheme was organized by a serving inspector of the State Border Guard Service, who acted in collusion with the director of a crewing company, shipping agents, and employees of various companies.

According to police, the organizer involved his own father—who heads a crewing company—in the illegal activities. Together with his accomplices, they issued forged seaman’s certificates, fictitious employment contracts, and ship’s rosters to men subject to military conscription. This allowed clients to leave Ukraine on river vessels under the guise of crew members.

The cost of this “service” was 7,300 U.S. dollars. According to operational data, 147 men illegally left Ukraine through this channel. In addition, law enforcement officers identified two more men subject to military conscription who were preparing to take advantage of this scheme.

Investigators documented several instances of money transfers. The organizer was detained while receiving another installment of the payment—$6,000. With these funds, he was to ensure that one of his clients boarded a vessel posing as an engine room crew member and crossed the border unimpeded.

On the day of the arrest, law enforcement officers conducted 13 searches at the residences and workplaces of those involved in the scheme, as well as in offices, vehicles, and storage facilities. During the searches, they seized computer equipment, cell phones, seals, draft records, ship documentation, maritime certificates, forged contracts, crew lists, and other physical evidence.

The organizer has already been charged under articles related to the illegal smuggling of persons across the state border and abuse of influence. The court remanded him in custody and set bail at over 2.6 million hryvnias. Law enforcement officials are currently continuing to identify all those involved in the scheme.

Also in June, officers from the Podil Detachment detained four Kyiv residents who were heading toward the Transnistrian segment of the Ukrainian-Moldovan border in the Odesa region.

Анна Бальчінос