Timber smuggling and money laundering: ESBU refers the indictment to the court

 Detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Odesa region have completed a pre-trial investigation involving a local council member and two accomplices. The group used forged documents to export timber and launder the proceeds of the transactions. The indictment has been officially referred to the court.

The investigation revealed that a deputy of the Dobryanka Village Council in the Chernihiv region, working in conjunction with a rescue service worker and a private entrepreneur, smuggled timber to the European Union over the course of a year.

The suspects forged certificates of origin to obtain export permits. They submitted documents containing false information for customs clearance and frequently changed border crossing points to evade control and avoid attracting the attention of regulatory authorities.

In this way, they exported nearly 115 m³ of timber worth UAH 1 million out of Ukraine. The suspects accumulated the proceeds from the illegal exports in a special bank account and subsequently laundered the funds.

The perpetrators were caught while attempting to export another batch of smuggled timber through the "Starokozache" checkpoint in the Odesa region.

To ensure compensation for the damages caused by the criminal offense, the court seized 39 land plots, 2 residential buildings, and vehicles belonging to the deputy. The total value of the seized assets is nearly UAH 30 million.

Based on the collected evidence, the men were notified of suspicion under Part 2 of the Act. 201-1 (movement across the customs border of Ukraine outside of customs control or with concealment from customs control of timber or lumber of valuable and rare tree species, unprocessed timber, as well as other timber prohibited for export outside the customs territory of Ukraine), Part 3, Part 4 of Art. 358 (forgery of documents, seals, stamps, and forms; sale or use of forged documents, seals, stamps), Part 2 of Art. 209 (legalization (laundering) of property obtained by criminal means) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Operational support – Department of Detectives for Strategic Protection of the Economy of the TO of the ESBU in the Odesa region, Department of the Security Service in the Chernihiv region. Procedural guidance – prosecutors of the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office.