The attackers transported the evaders to the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldavian Republic and the EU. They also provided men with documents on crossing the border before hostilities.
While documenting the group's activities, operatives from the Department of Strategic Investigations in Odessa Region and regional police investigators identified the organizer and all group members, a temporary hiding place for clients and an illegal border crossing.
A local resident accused of a similar crime organized an illegal "transfer" of men trying to avoid mobilization for military service. Among his accomplices are four people. Roles were clearly divided between all of them. One met "clients" in Odessa and took them to a certain point, the second - to a temporary hiding place - an abandoned house in the border area in Bilyaiv district, the third - by boat across the estuary, another - met "tourists" in the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldavian Republics and has already delivered directly to EU countries.
As a rule, the "rafting" took place at night in groups of four. For a place in the boat, members of the criminal group received from 3,500 to 5,000 US dollars from each person.
In addition, members of the group produced and provided these citizens with fictitious certificates stating that they had allegedly crossed the border before the start of hostilities.
On May 26, police conducted a special operation to stop the group's activities and detained three members directly while trying to smuggle another batch of "tourists" across the estuary. In addition, two more participants were later detained.
The issue of notifying everyone of the suspicion under Art. 332 of the Criminal code of Ukraine.
Employees of the Odessa regional prosecutor's office are preparing a petition to the court to choose a measure of restraint for the detainees.
