The SSU jointly with the NABU and the SAPO have exposed an entrepreneur who offered a bribe to the Head of the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drugs Control.

The investigation established that the foreigner had offered the Ukrainian official money in order to receive a permission for swift import of items classified as precursors and narcotic drugs to Ukraine.

The person was exposed and detained ‘red-handed’ when he tried to hand over USD 10,000 of the bribe. The detainee will be notified of suspicion.

Preliminarily, the offence is qualified under the Article 369.4 of the CCU - offer, promise or providing of an unlawful benefit to an official.

The pre-trial investigation has been initiated by the NABU in November 2022 upon the report of the Head of the State Service of Ukraine on Medicines and Drugs Control.

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of a crime and cannot be subject to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in line with the procedure defined by law and established by a relevant court’s verdict.