In Odesa region, 48 tons of sunflowers disappeared during transportation to the port

Law enforcement officers in Odesa region are investigating a fraud involving sunflower seeds that disappeared during transportation to the port. It involves more than 47 tons of grain that was stolen by criminals using a scheme involving a fake delivery route and forged documents.

This is evidenced by the ruling of the Bilyaevsky District Court of Odesa Region.

According to the investigation, on December 18, 2025, Odesa District Police Department No. 2 received a statement from the logistics company Ambra Trans. It reported that a day earlier, a group of people had fraudulently seized the property of Hold Cargo-Marine, a batch of sunflower seeds. The final amount of damage is still being established.

The investigation established that in August 2025, Hold Cargo-Marine purchased more than 125 tons of sunflower seeds from Raliyivka at a price of UAH 22.5 thousand per ton. The grain was stored in a warehouse in Nova Odesa under an agreement with Rybatsky Dom.

To transport the cargo, a contract was concluded for transportation to a commercial port in Chornomorsk. However, while the trucks were in transit, the route was changed without the customer's consent. Instead of the port, the transport was sent to the village of Yosypivka, Odesa district, where the grain was unloaded on December 17 at a warehouse complex.

After that, the seeds were reloaded into other trucks and taken to another warehouse. According to the investigation, these actions were part of a pre-planned fraudulent scheme aimed at seizing the grain and selling it for cash.

As a result, the offenders seized 47.6 tons of sunflower. Investigators recognized the vehicles involved in the scheme as material evidence. The court granted the investigation's request and seized one of the vehicles used in the scheme.

Also in Odesa, law enforcement officers tried to block the operation of a grain terminal due to alleged tax violations. However, the judge ruled that the investigation did not provide sufficient arguments to seize the property. The case concerned the seizure of a production and logistics complex and a grain terminal in Chernivtsi region. In addition, the prosecution's motion regarding the property seized during the inspection in the customs control zone of the Odesa seaport was also dismissed.

Анна Бальчінос