Scheme of illegal timber export to Europe exposed in Odesa region

A large-scale timber smuggling scheme was exposed in Odesa region: an entrepreneur from Chernihiv region was exporting timber with false documents through the Starokozache-Tudora checkpoint on the border with Moldova.

This was reported by the Bureau of Economic Security.

It turned out that the accused organized a scheme for the illegal export of timber products abroad, despite the current ban on the export of unprocessed wood from Ukraine.

Photo: Bureau of Economic Security

The entrepreneur purchased timber without relevant supporting documents, after which he issued fake consignment notes - allegedly for the purchase of timber from legal forestry enterprises. Based on this falsified documentation, he obtained certificates that allowed him to export timber to the European Union.

In this way, he managed to export 975.5 m³ of timber worth more than UAH 2.6 million, of which more than 450 m³ were exported through checkpoints in Odesa region.

To disguise the scheme, the suspect used the details of another company, a manufacturer of wooden containers, and exported the wood itself through different checkpoints in order not to arouse suspicion.

The BES noted that the smuggling was exposed in January 2025, when the man tried to export another batch of wood.

The Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office added that an indictment under Part 1 of Article 201-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (timber smuggling) has already been sent to court.

Earlier, customs officers uncovered an attempt to illegally export 597 tons of sunflower oil, which is estimated at more than UAH 26 million. The oil was being transported across the Ukrainian-Hungarian border in ten railroad tank cars. The Odesa-based entrepreneur planned to export the products under foreign economic contracts with a Hungarian company as the buyer. However, while checking the legality of the export, customs officers sent a request to their foreign colleagues to confirm the authenticity of the transaction.

Ірина Глухова