In Zaporizzhia region, SBU exposed an official of the customs on illegal export of grain to the EU countries.

Allegedly, the head of the customs post together with several representatives of commercial entities set up unlawful business. The SBU established that during 2019-2020 the official assisted the exporting companies in grain smuggling.
The businessmen entered in the accompanying documents false information on the value and origin of the goods. Thus, they deliberately underestimated the amount of mandatory payments to the state budget. Though, the head of the customs post acquiesced to these discrepancies.

SBU officers documented another illicit export of grain products using forged documents. The preliminary expertise showed that the state budget could have lost over UAH 1.2 m (USD 42,858).

According to intelligence, the fraudsters conducted such deals up to ten times a month, depending on the season harvest. 

During the searches in offenders’ offices and residences, law enforcement officers found documents proving corruption scheme. In the course of the invstigation, law enforcement officers also found a large amount of money in different currencies, the origin of which the head of the customs post could not explain.

Further, SBU materials helped to serve the fraudster a suspicion notice of malversation.

The actual amount of the state losses will be estimated on the basis of SBU examinations.

Currently, the involvement of other customs officials in corruption offenses is being identified.

The operation was carried out by SBU Office in Zaporizzhia region jointly with the Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigation in Melitopol city under the procedural guidance of the Zaporizhia Region Prosecutor's Office.