The Security Service of Ukraine has exposed a number of domestic express delivery companies on evading multimillion customs duties and charges.

According to the pre-trial investigation, several key market operators during 2017-2020 illegally imported highly liquid goods into Ukraine under the guise of express shipments. These include imports of electronic equipment, branded clothing and accessories, and expensive auto parts. In order to avoid customs clearance of the cargo, the carriers included in the shipping documents inaccurate information about its name and price, as well as imported goods in small batches. According to preliminary estimates, as a result of such actions only in 2019-2020 the state budget did not receive UAH 27 million of obligatory payments.

Another illegal transfer from abroad was detected by the special service operatives in the Boryspil airport the day before. A consignment of undeclared goods from Asia worth over USD 300,000 was detained in the customs zone of the airport.

Within the framework of a criminal proceeding initiated under Part 3 Art. 212 (evasion of taxes, fees) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the law enforcement carried out searches at residences and offices of defendants in Kyiv. During investigations, documents and electronic media containing information on financial and economic transactions, seals of legal entities and individuals, probably used in the transactions, and over UAH 1.3 million were seized.

The pre-trial investigation is under way.

The operation was conducted by the SBU Main Department for Counterintelligence Protection of State Economic Interests and the SBU Main Department for Fighting Corruption and Organized Crime with the SFS Large Taxpayers Office under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.