The SSU has blocked a channel of illegal transportation of citizens to the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine and back.

The criminals set up illegal passenger transportation from Kyiv to the temporarily occupied Donetsk and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

The route ran through the Central European states to russia, entering the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine from the aggressor state. This is an illegal way of crossing the state border of our country.

To ensure unimpeded passage through russia, the driver transferred passengers to another bus with russian license plates just before the border. This vehicle also belonged to the organizer’s company.

The cost of a one-way ‘ticket’ was EUR 250.

The offenders transported dozens of customers every week.

The group transferred part of the profits to the budget of the terrorist organization ‘DNR’ as ‘taxes’ for commercial activities.

According to the investigation, a head of a Kyiv-based transportation company was involved in the organization of the channel. He involved his two sons, who are abroad, in the illegal activity. The group used 6 buses from the company’s fleet.

During the searches of the organizer’s office and home, the law enforcement found logbooks, route sheets, mobile phones and draft records with evidence of the offence.

The group leader and one of the accomplices were notified of suspicion under the Article 332.2 of the CCU (illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine).

The buses involved in the scheme have been seized.

The investigation is ongoing.

The operation was carried out by the SSU jointly with the National Police under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea and Sevastopol.