The State Bureau of Investigation, together with the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service of the National Police, and the State Border Guard Service, exposed a criminal group from Zaporizhia that was engaged in the illegal smuggling of conscripts abroad and facilitated desertion for money.
As reported by "Law and Business" with reference to the State Bureau of Investigation, the organizer of the scheme was a law enforcement officer from Zaporizhzhia. The group also included his colleague and two civilians. The criminals operated throughout Ukraine, providing clients with false documents, transport and hiding places. The cost of services reached up to 20 thousand dollars.
At least three deals by the group have been documented, two of which involved desertion of soldiers. The last attempt to organize an unauthorized departure of a unit for a soldier from Zaporizhzhia for $13,000 was stopped by law enforcement.
During searches in Zaporizhia and Khmelnytskyi, almost 130 thousand dollars, documents, mobile phones and computer equipment were seized, confirming the illegal activities of the group. All participants were reported for suspicion under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal smuggling of persons across the state border) and Part 4 of Article 408 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (assistance in desertion).
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and the full range of persons possibly involved in illegal activities is being identified.
