SBU officers exposed in Zakarpattya region an ethnic criminal group on robbery and extortion of money from citizens who returned from abroad, specifically during quarantine.

Thus, at the beginning of March this year, the Prosecutor’s Office of Zakarpattya region on the appeal of residents has entered data into the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations on the grounds of extortion of funds upon preliminary collusion by group members.

Subject to the circumstances of the crime, the Prosecutor’s Office of Zakarpattya region assigned to carry out a pre-trial investigation in this criminal proceeding to the Investigation Department of the SBU Office in Zakarpattya region.

Allegedly, the group included 5 representatives of one of the national minorities of the region. The offenders recorded the return of local residents from abroad and demanded money from them allegedly to "support" the imprisoned members of the group. In case of non-payment, the suspects threatened citizens and their families to be physically abused.

SBU operatives documented the fact of over EUR 1,000 and USD 7,500 extortion from two residents of the region.

The attackers were detained in Berehove district on receiving part of the sum from the victims (in accordance with Art.208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine).

All detainees were served suspicion notices of extortion under Part 2 Art.189 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The issue of choosing custody as a type of detention is being decided.

The investigations are ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the case. In particular, the involvement of the leader of the criminal group and his two accomplices in the organization of a pogrom is being checked. It should be reminded that two people were shot in the attack which took place on 1 April this year in one of the settlements of the same ethnic minority in the Mukachevo district. 

The exposing operation was carried out under the procedural guidance of the Prosecutor’s Office of Zakarpattya region.