ESBU detectives thwart timber smuggling attempt in Zakarpattia

 Detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in Zakarpattia region have prevented an attempt to illegally export nearly 20 m³ of beech lumber.

The truck, owned by a local entrepreneur, was stopped during customs control at one of the checkpoints in Zakarpattia. The timber was intended for export to Romania.

The investigation established that the director of an enterprise involved in logging and woodworking in the Mukachevo district had entered into a contract with a Romanian company and obtained a certificate of origin for a specific batch of beech lumber. Subsequently, the customer changed the product requirements. In response, the entrepreneur manufactured a different batch of timber but failed to issue a new certificate for it.

During the customs inspection, it was revealed that the submitted documents contained false information regarding the cargo. In fact, the entrepreneur attempted to export a new batch of lumber using an old certificate, forging documents to ensure formal compliance.

As a result, ESBU detectives seized nearly 20 m³ of timber with an estimated value of over UAH 180,000.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing under Part 1 of Article 201-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal movement of timber or lumber across the customs border of Ukraine with concealment from customs control).