Illegal sale of fuel without a license: case sent to the court

 A 24-year-old resident of the Bolhrad district will stand trial for illegally organizing the operations of a gas station in Odesa. Detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Odesa region have completed the pretrial investigation in the criminal proceedings.

It was established that the gas station owner purchased fuel of unknown origin at significantly lower prices without a license or business registration. Subsequently, she sold the gasoline in Odesa. To achieve this, she unauthorizedly installed fueling equipment, fuel storage tanks, and fuel dispensers in a roadside area.

The illegal gas station operated in Odesa on Tsiolkovskoho Street without proper fuel quality control or tax payments. Sales were made in cash, with no transactions reflected in the accounting reports.

It is worth noting that detectives from the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Odesa region have repeatedly shut down the illegal activities of the gas station at this address. Following investigative actions and equipment dismantling, the gas station's operations were renewed each time by reregistering the facility under different individuals and continuing the illegal sale of fuel.

Detectives conducted authorized searches, during which they seized 6 tons of fuel and lubricants, namely diesel fuel, gasoline, fuel dispensers, tanks, equipment, and structures used for the operation of the illegal gas station. The gas station has been completely dismantled. The total value of the seized property exceeds UAH 1.8 million.

By court order, the seized assets have been placed under arrest to ensure the recovery of damages caused to the state.

The woman has been notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal manufacture, storage, sale, or transportation for the purpose of sale of excise goods). The indictment has been forwarded to the court.

The sanction of the article provides for a penalty in the form of a fine with confiscation and destruction of the illegally manufactured goods.

Procedural guidance is provided by prosecutors of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.

Please note, according 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 in accordance with the law and established by a court's verdict of conviction.