The Security Service of Ukraine suspects acting head of the Zhytomyr customs of the State Fiscal Service of involvement in the embezzlement of budget funds allocated for the reconstruction of the interstate automotive checkpoint "Maidan Kopyschanskyi".

According to the investigation it was established that in 2018 the regional customs concluded an agreement with the contractor company for the reconstruction of administrative premises of the international checkpoint. Under the contract, the contractor had to dismantle the old premises, and then make and install new modules.

Despite the fact that the company has not fulfilled any of the stipulated commitments, the Head of Customs signed acts of provided services and payment documents for the transfer of budget funds to dealers’ accounts. Thus, for the non-existing contracted works, the state paid more than UAH 700 thousand.

The construction, technical and economic expertise initiated by the SBU showed, that premises in the territory of the checkpoint remained in a critical conditions and do not correspond to the generally accepted European standards.

The head of Zhytomyr Customs has been served a notice of suspicion of committing a crime provided for in Part 5 Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The issue of removing the offender from the office and choosing a measure of restraint is being decided.

The investigation is under way.

The operation was conducted by officers of the SBU Office in Zhytomyr region with the State Bureau of Investigations Territorial Directorate in Khmelnitskyi city, under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor's Office of Zhytomyr region.