The Security Service of Ukraine has blocked in Zakarpattya region the scheme of illegal smuggling of excised tobacco products to the EU countries.

Allegedly, the inspector of the Border Guard Service of the Mukachevo border detachment planned to establish a scheme of receiving illegal gain. For different sums, the offender guaranteed free transferring of the counterfeit tobacco goods to EU countries beyond the official checkpoints. Law enforcement officers, in particular, have documented that the official demanded USD 1,000 for export of almost 17,000 batches of tobacco from Ukraine. The total amount of counterfeit cigarettes was over UAH 220,000 (USD 7,858).

Consequently, the suspect was detained near the place of service in accordance with Art.208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine on receiving the first part of the bribe.

The issue of serving to detainee a suspicion notice is being resolved in the framework of criminal proceedings initiated under Part 3 Art.368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The urgent investigative actions are ongoing to identify and bring to criminal responsibility other officials allegedly involved in illegal activity.

The operation was conducted jointly with investigators of the Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigations in Lviv city, as well as with internal security officers of the State Border Guard Service under the procedural guidance of the Military Prosecutor's Office.