In Odesa, a preventive measure was imposed on an employee of the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection. He is suspected of demanding and accepting bribes in exchange for ensuring the unimpeded conduct of phytosanitary procedures.
According to a ruling by the Kyiv District Court of Odessa, the chief specialist of the border phytosanitary measures sector of the Phytosanitary Safety Department of the State Food and Consumer Service’s Main Directorate in the Odesa region, in the spring of 2026, while processing shipments for LLC "Moremo," he created artificial obstacles to the timely completion of phytosanitary inspections.
Specifically, this involved delaying the collection of samples and the issuance of certificates for agricultural products intended for export. As investigators established, "Moremo" LLC trades in grain, unprocessed tobacco, seeds, and animal feed.
In July, an official offered to pay him $20 for each truckload. If the offer was refused, he threatened further delays during phytosanitary procedures and in obtaining the necessary documents.
A representative of the company subsequently contacted law enforcement. Subsequently, according to the investigation, the inspector continued to carry out phytosanitary procedures on Moremo LLC’s shipments. By August 4, procedures had been completed for 53 trucks, and 26 phytosanitary certificates had been issued.
In early August, at the “Odiseya” freight and customs complex, the inspector—according to the investigation—received a$1,100 bribe. The amount consisted of payments of $20 each for 50 trucks and an additional $100 for three trucks that were the subject of separate disputes during the inspection.
In September, the man was notified that he was suspected of receiving and extorting a bribe as a public official. As a result, the judge partially granted the investigator’s motion and ordered the suspect to be held in custody until November 6, 2026. The judge also set bail at 998,400 hryvnias. The ruling may be appealed in the appellate court within five days.
In addition, the former head of the Odesa Regional Phytosanitary Safety Department was found guilty of abuse of influence while processing documents for the export of nearly 6,000 metric tons of corn.
