Smuggling of timber through forged certificates exposed in Odesa

A large-scale case of timber smuggling across the customs border of Ukraine is being investigated in Odesa. The three defendants in the case organized the illegal transportation of timber prohibited for export, trying to hide it from customs control.

This is evidenced by the ruling of the Kyiv District Court of Odesa.

According to the investigation, they forged documents and issued certificates of origin for timber that was actually banned for export.

According to the investigation, one of the defendants filed several customs declarations in which he provided false information about the volume and origin of the timber. In total, more than 114 cubic meters of timber worth UAH 920,568 were moved across the border.

To conceal the illegal origin of the timber, the suspects used certificates of origin issued by various interregional forestry departments. In particular:

• Letters from the Southwestern Interregional Forestry and Hunting Department (Khmelnytskyi) confirmed the existence of certificates for timber and lumber issued to a controlled group of persons.
  
• Letters from the Central-Western Directorate (Vinnytsia) and Western Directorate (Lviv) also confirmed that the certificates had been issued, but that the timber was actually exported illegally.

Inspections by state forestry departments confirmed that the certificates of origin were forged and that there were no real business relationships with the companies through which the documents were issued.

Investigators conducted searches at the suspects' residences and seized items and documents confirming their involvement in smuggling. The analysis of mobile phones revealed numerous correspondences with brokers and other members of the group, exchange of photos of invoices, service acceptance certificates, bank receipts and shipping bills.

In addition, investigators recorded that the group members regularly discussed export operations and financial settlements among themselves to conceal the true origin of the goods and avoid the attention of customs officers.

Based on the collected materials, the judge found the suspicion of committing a criminal offense under Part 2 of Art. 201-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine to be reasonable. The court granted the investigation's request and extended the pre-trial investigation until March 11, 2026. The court ruling is final and not subject to appeal.

Last year, in Odesa region, a court seized the property of a deputy suspected of organizing large-scale timber smuggling to the EU. According to the investigation, it was hundreds of cubic meters of wood that were exported under false documents. In total, almost 115 cubic meters of timber were illegally exported from Ukraine. The suspects were detained while trying to smuggle another batch of timber through the Starokozache checkpoint.

Анна Бальчінос