In Donetsk region, the SBU blocked large-scale illegal coal mining at a dormant state mining site.

SBU officers established that four private entrepreneurs and a commercial director of a state coal mining company organized the illegal business. They acted on the premises of a closed mine near the town of Hirnyk. Unlawful sampling of minerals took place 24/7 violating safety rules.

According to experts, state losses tops UAH 2 m (USD 72,000). Illegal activity could also lead to landslides and groundwater leaks, posing a real threat to the lives and health of local residents.

The SBU documented that the offenders sold the extracted coal to Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and other western regions of Ukraine. They used forged documents and laundered money through sham transactions.

According to preliminary estimates, the criminals extracted more than 2,000 tons of coal during the first six months of their unlawful actions.

During seven searches of the illegal mining site and offenders’ residences, law enforcement officers seized mining equipment, vehicles, bank cards, seals and stamps of companies involved in the fraud, as well as documents proving illegal transactions.

Currently, two individuals received suspicion notices for violation of rules related to the protection of mineral resources. Case papers against other three offenders were filed to the court.

The operation was conducted jointly with the National Police under the supervision of the Donetsk Region Prosecutor's Office.