Illegal oil depot and sale of falsified fuel in the Kyiv region: ESBU issues suspicions to five individuals

 Detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Kyiv region have notified five members of an organized crime group of suspicion for operating an illegal oil depot and selling counterfeit fuel.

The investigation established that the suspects stored illegally produced fuel at an oil depot in the Bila Tserkva district of the Kyiv region, subsequently selling it through a network of controlled gas stations. These stations operated without fuel quality certificates and failed to report the sale of excise goods in their financial and accounting records.

During authorized searches at the gas stations and the oil depot, BES detectives seized over 57,000 liters of gasoline, nearly 85,000 liters of diesel fuel, and 4,500 liters of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Additionally, they seized 29 fuel storage tanks, a gas dispenser, six fuel dispensers, pumping equipment, and trucks with tankers used for transporting the fuel.

Besides, during searches at the suspects' residences, detectives seized financial and business documents, rough records, mobile phones, and over 18 million UAH in various currencies.

The estimated value of the seized fuel and lubricants exceeds 8 million UAH.

Currently, the organizer and four accomplices have been notified of suspicion under Part 2 and 3 of Art. 28, and Part 1 and 2 of Art. 204 (illegal manufacture, storage, and sale of excise goods) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.

Operational support is provided by the Strategic Investigations Department in the Kyiv region of the National Police. Procedural guidance is provided by the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.