Mayor of Vilkovo sent to custody

The court has imposed a preventive measure on the mayor of Vilkovo, Odesa region, Matviy Ivanov in the form of detention with an alternative bail of UAH 39 million.

This was reported by the press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Odesa Oblast.

According to law enforcement officials, two heads of private companies engaged in water transport services organized the illegal extraction of sand from the Danube for the construction of a private multimodal terminal.

Without appropriate permits for the use of subsoil and using specialized equipment, the offenders illegally extracted minerals worth over UAH 17 million, which was confirmed by an expert examination, and used them for construction.

During the investigation, the police found that the entrepreneurs were aware of the powers of the mayor and, in order to avoid problems on his part, involved Matviy Ivanov in the illegal activity. The official, who was supposed to monitor compliance with environmental legislation in his community, did not do so. On the contrary, he assisted his accomplices in illegal sand mining.

According to preliminary estimates, the unauthorized use of subsoil caused losses to the state in the amount of almost UAH 172 million.

The entrepreneurs were served with a notice of suspicion of illegal extraction of local minerals on a large scale committed by prior conspiracy (Article 240(3) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and use of the proceeds of crime, by prior conspiracy, on a large scale (Article 209(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). If found guilty, the businessmen face up to eight years in prison.

The court imposed on the suspects a custodial measure of restraint with the right to be released on bail in the amount of UAH 60 million.

Law enforcement officers served the mayor with a notice of suspicion of aiding and abetting the illegal extraction of minerals of local importance on a large scale, committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons, which is qualified under Part 5 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 240 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The maximum penalty for this crime is imprisonment for up to six years.

In the summer of 2022, the Vilkovo City Council was already searched. Law enforcement officers then seized all documentation regarding the land plots.

Кирило Бойко