Three individuals to face trial for selling bootleg fuel in Kryvyi Rih

 Three underground gas stations that were set up without authorization and sold fuel of dubious quality were exposed and shut down in Kryvyi Rih.

Detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Poltava region completed the pre-trial investigation in three criminal proceedings regarding the illegal operation of gas stations in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The cases have been sent to court.

The investigation established that three underground gas stations operated in different districts of the city. The gas stations operated without the necessary permits and licenses to trade in excise goods. Fuel was purchased without origin documents or quality certificates and sold for cash without using cash registers (PRRO/RRO) or issuing fiscal receipts.

Each of the illegal gas stations functioned for only a few months. During authorized searches, ESBU detectives seized over 10,000 liters of gasoline and 5,800 liters of diesel fuel of dubious quality. Fuel storage tanks and fuel dispensers were also dismantled.

The individuals involved in the cases—a man and two women—were notified of suspicion under Part 1 of Art. 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal storage and sale of excise goods).

During the pre-trial investigation, the suspects pleaded guilty and voluntarily made charitable contributions of 100,000 UAH each to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Procedural guidance in the criminal proceedings is provided by the Poltava Regional Prosecutor's Office.

The ESBU continues its systematic work to eliminate the shadow fuel market and to shut down illegal activities that threaten the state's economic security and citizens' safety.

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered 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 guilty.