The SBU uncovered corruption scheme organized by the officials of Halytska customs office in Ivano-Frankivsk city.

Allegedly, customs officers regularly extorted and received money from the representatives of importing and exporting companies. For illegal benefit, they promised to carry out unimpeded customs clearance and not to delay customs operations.

SBU operatives documented that the officials involved customs brokers in illegal activity as intermediaries. Customs inspectors received illegal benefit per each truck, which was registered in their area of responsibility.

Within the initiated criminal proceeding, the SBU documented illegal activity by four customs inspectors. They conducted over 3,000 operations on customs clearance of goods and vehicles. According to preliminary estimates, the offenders managed to earn more than UAH 3 million (USD 111,111).

The law enforcement detained a customs inspector in conformity with Art.208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine on receiving a bribe for customs clearance.

During the searches at offenders’ offices and residences, SBU officers seized documents that prove illegal activity, over USD 27,000, and almost EUR 3,000 allegedly obtained due to corruption scheme.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing under P.3 of Art.368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. A notice of suspicion is being prepared for receiving the illegal benefit by a group of people with prior conspiracy. The Article provides for imprisonment for a term of five to ten years.

The procedural decision regarding other offenders will be made after the expertise of the seized evidence.

The operation was conducted jointly with the DBR Department in Lviv city under the legal supervision of Prosecutor’s Office of Ivano-Frankivsk region.