In the Odesa region, a border guard will stand trial for a scheme involving traveling abroad under the guise of sailors

The organizer of the illegal smuggling of men abroad under the guise of sailors faces up to 9 years in prison. A border guard inspector from Izmail is on trial.

According to the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the case against the 39-year-old resident of the region has already been referred to court.

Last year, he met a man of draft age who had previously worked as a sailor. The border guard offered to help him leave the country for $6,000.

<picture></picture>PHOTO: Press Service of the National Police in Odesa Region

To do this, he was supposed to prepare documents that would allow the man to travel abroad as a crew member of a foreign vessel. This involved special training, certification, and paperwork confirming his inclusion in the crew.

The man, who is subject to military conscription, received some of the documents by mail. Among them was a fake certificate of qualification as a watch engineer.

The police clarified that this summer, law enforcement officers exposed a State Border Guard Service inspector.

The suspect was detained in Izmail when he arrived for a meeting to collect money from the man. According to the police, he charged a total of $7,300 for his “services.” He claimed to have paid part of this amount to influence officials in the shipping administration.

During searches, authorities seized documents, rough notes, and computer and mobile devices.

The court remanded the border guard in custody with bail set at over 2.6 million hryvnias. He is currently being held in a pretrial detention center.

He is charged with:

• illegally smuggling persons across the state border of Ukraine under Part 3 of Article 332;
• abuse of influence under Part 2 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The maximum penalty is nine years of imprisonment. 

Ірина Глухова