In the Odesa region, a court convicted a driver for attempting to smuggle people across the border

A court found a resident of the Odesa region guilty of attempting to illegally transport men across the state border. He was sentenced to five years in prison, with a one-year suspended sentence. 

This is stated in the verdict of the Bilyayivsky District Court of Odesa Oblast.

The investigation established that the defendant, acting in agreement with an unidentified group of individuals, agreed to transport two men in a “Mitsubishi Pajero” from Odesa to the border near Bilyayivka. In this way, he was to help them illegally cross Ukraine’s state border. Along the way, he instructed the passengers on what to say at checkpoints if they were stopped. 

On the evening of April 5, 2025, border guards stopped the vehicle, and the attempt to cross the border was foiled. The defendant stated in court that he onlyrealized the purpose of the trip after the passengers had already gotten into the car. At the same time, hefully admitted his guilt, expressed remorse, and actively cooperated with the investigation. 

Earlier , theCentral District Court of Mykolaiv imposed a pretrial restraint on a city resident suspected of organizing the illegal smuggling of men of draft age across Ukraine’s state border. He was taken into custody with the right to post bail in the amount of 266,240 hryvnias.

As noted in the court ruling, according to the investigation, the suspect, together with his mother, organized a scheme to illegally transport men to Moldova via the so-called “green corridor.” For smuggling one person, they allegedly demanded $7,500, as well as a 9,500 hryvnia prepayment for fuel, food, and other expenses.

Юлія Калабайда