Resident of Rozdilnyansky district detained on suspicion of trafficking men abroad

Law enforcement officers detained a resident of Rozdilnyansky district in Odesa on suspicion of organizing the illegal transportation of men across the state border of Ukraine.

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

Odesa law enforcement officers claim that the young man organized a scheme to smuggle persons liable for military service across the state border of Ukraine outside official checkpoints and searched for clients in messengers.

Investigators documented that the offender was preparing several deals related to illegal crossing of the state border both by boat across the water and on foot. In particular, the offender promised three men to help them escape to Moldova for a cash reward of USD 17, USD 14, and USD 7 thousand. All the conscripts paid the offender a $1,000 deposit and waited to leave for the border areas of Odesa region.

However, the plans were thwarted by police officers and employees of the SBU Office in Mykolaiv region, who also documented the man's illegal activities in their service area, related to another episode of smuggling conscripts across the state border and obstructing the legitimate activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations. SBU investigators detained the offender in accordance with the procedural procedure, and later the court imposed on him a custodial measure of restraint with the right to be released on bail in the amount of UAH 566 thousand.

At present, investigators of the Odesa police have collected sufficient evidence and served the offender a notice of suspicion on two facts of organizing illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine, directing such actions and facilitating their commission by instructions, in particular for mercenary motives (Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The issue of serving him a notice of suspicion over the third fact is being decided. According to the current legislation, for these crimes, the businessman faces up to nine years in prison with disqualification to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years and confiscation of property. In the course of the pre-trial investigation, the police will identify the offender's accomplices.

Кирило Бойко