The SBU detained an official of Black Sea basin Directorate of the State Fisheries Agency, who offered bribe to an SBU employee.

The SBU employees found out that the senior state inspector of the fisheries patrol systematically received bribes from businessmen for “shielding” them from administrative and criminal prosecution for violating industrial fishing rules. It was documented that the suspect received UAH 70,000 (USD 2,500) from a local businessman.  

It was established, that after receiving the illegal gain, the inspector together with one of the managers of the State Fisheries Agency offered to “enter the business” and receive monthly fee to one of the SBU division head. The officer immediately informed the leadership about the unlawful offer. 

The law enforcement detained the official on making offer to the SBU employee about receiving the regular part of the illegal financial gain, in accordance with the Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. The inspector was served a notice of suspicion of taking a bribe (Part 3 Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), the issue of serving the manager a notice of suspicion of giving a bribe (Art. 369 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) is being settled.

The investigation is ongoing to establish possible involvement of other officials into the illegal scheme. 

The operation was conducted jointly with the SBU Office in Mykolaiv region jointly with the Main Directorate of SBU Internal Security, Territorial Office of the State Bureau of Investigations in Mykolaiv city, under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office of Mykolaiv region.