SBU blocked the large-scale scheme of systematic reception of illegal benefit by the officials of the Department of the State Migration Service in Chernivtsi region. 

According to the investigation, one of the heads of the regional Department of the State Migration Service with the head of district unit of the institution established the mechanism of money extortion from the residents of the region. Officials artificially overvalued services for drawing-up of Ukrainian IDs and foreign biometric passports.

The officials engaged representative of the local firm as a mediator to receive illegal benefit from citizens. Law enforcement officers disclosed three persons, possibly involved in the scheme in the office of one of the officials of the regional Department of the State Migration Service after receiving another "transfer" in the amount of almost UAH 40 thousand. According to intelligence, the specified amount of illegal benefit the officials of the State Migration Service district unit "collected" during the week.

In due course of the searches at the place of work the money received in illegal way, draft records and other materials confirming illegal activity were detected. Also in the car of one of the involved persons law enforcement officers found USD 5 thousand and EUR 1,5 thousand, probably obtained in illegal way. The issue of serving to offenders suspicion notices of committing the crime is now being decided.

Within the framework of criminal proceedings initiated under Part 3 Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine the investigations are under way. The operation was conducted with the State Bureau of Investigations Territorial Administration, located in Khmelnytskyi, under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor’s Office of Chernivtsi region.