In Vinnytsia region, SBU documented a corruption scheme of wholesale shipments of amber abroad.

Allegedly, the senior state inspector at the Dniester customs checkpoint set up a mechanism to receive improper benefits from local amber smugglers. For money, the official promised not to create obstacles to transfer the “sun stone” across the state border. Furthermore, the suspect involved a mediator in the fraud.

The SBU documented that the customs officers received bribes for unimpeded transfer of ten kilos of amber with estimated value at least USD 17,000 to a neighboring country.

According to Art.208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, law enforcement officers detained the official and the mediator at the checkpoint "Mohyliv-Podilskyi-Otach" on receiving the second part of the bribe.

The criminal proceedings are initiated upon violation of rules related to the protection of mineral resources and taking a bribe by an official. The investigation is ongoing to bring to justice all the persons involved.

The operation was carried out jointly with the State Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Podolsk Customs, under the supervision of the Vinnytsia Region Prosecutor's Office.