The officers of the Security Service of Ukraine exposed the chief specialist of the Department for Ecology and Natural Resources of Zhytomyr Regional State Administration, suspected of extortion illegal benefit for issuing permits.

According to the previous investigation, the official set up a scheme of extortion money from enterprises in the region, whose activities are related to emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere or other harmful production. For easy approval of technical documentation and granting work permits, the offender demanded up to USD 10 thousand, depending on the commercial capacity of the enterprise.

The operatives of the SBU documented the fact of extortion by official of UAH 15 thousand from the firm, specializing in the provision of intermediary services for the issuance of documents on pollutant emissions by stationary sources.

Within the framework of criminal proceedings initiated under Part 2 Art. 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine the official was served notice of suspicion. Currently, the information on other facts of corrupt abuses of the official and involvement of officials of the Regional State Administration in the deals is being checked.

The measures to document the illegal activities were conducted jointly with the officers of the SBU Office in Zhytomyr region with the assistance of the Head of the Regional State Administration with the Main Directorate of the National Police Investigation Department and under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor's Office.