Forged documents and smuggling: ESBU uncovers illegal timber export operation in Vinnytsia region

 An entrepreneur from the Vinnytsia region illegally exported nearly 45 cubic meters of oak lumber to a Turkish company. To achieve this, he forged the relevant permit documentation. The scheme was uncovered by detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Vinnytsia region, who served the suspect a notice of suspicion under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

During the pre-trial investigation, detectives established that the entrepreneur planned to ship a batch of lumber abroad. To make the operations appear legal and verify the timber's legitimate origin, he falsified the required documents. Based on these forged documents, he obtained a certificate of origin for 44.6 m³ of lumber and authorization to export the timber.

The entrepreneur has been served a notice of suspicion for committing criminal offenses under Part 1 and Part 4 of Article 358 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (forgery of official documents and use of knowingly forged documents) and Part 1 of Article 201-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (movement across the customs border of Ukraine with concealment from customs control of timber products prohibited for export outside the customs territory of Ukraine). The criminal proceedings have been forwarded to the court.

Prosecutorial guidance was provided by the Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor's Office.

Pursuant to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven through legal procedures and established by a court's verdict of conviction.