The Security Service, in collaboration with the Office of the Prosecutor General, has dismantled a large-scale corruption scheme within the Central Apparatus of the State Customs Service.
As a result of comprehensive measures in Kyiv, the Director of the Department of Departmental Security and Control of the Customs Service and his deputy have been detained.
According to the investigation, officials systematically demanded unlawful benefits from regional customs officials. For various sums of bribes, the suspects "guaranteed" to officials not to create artificial obstacles in their professional activities. In exchange for these "contributions," the heads of departmental security also promised to "cover up" any official violations by customs officers. Documentation of the criminal activities of the suspects took more than a year. During this time, at least 8 instances of monthly extortion were recorded. To facilitate their criminal activities, the organizers involved their subordinate in a regional body of the Customs Service.
Law enforcement officers caught the head of the Department of Departmental Security, his deputy, and one of the heads of a regional customs office red-handed during a bribe transfer.
Based on the evidence collected, all three detainees are being prepared to face charges under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- Part 3 of Article 368 (acceptance of an offer, promise, or receipt of an unlawful benefit by a public official)
- Part 3 of Article 369 (offer, promise, or provision of an unlawful benefit to a public official).
Also, charges are being prepared against the former head of one of the regional customs offices, qualified under Part 3 of Article 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Currently, 28 searches are underway at the Central Apparatus of the Customs Service, as well as in the regional divisions of departmental security and control in the Western, Southern, and Central regions.
The investigative actions are aimed at identifying and holding accountable all individuals involved in the "scheme."
Perpetrators face up to 10 years in prison with property confiscation.
