SBU exposes criminal group on forging documents for illegal migration of foreigners to the EU

The Security Service of Ukraine detained members of an organized group who set up a mechanism for unlawful legalization of foreigners on the territory of Ukraine for their further transfer to the EU countries.

The suspects produced fake EU passports for people from countries of increased terrorist risk in Central Asia and the Middle East. The SBU operatives documented more than 300 episodes of making fake ID-cards and foreign passports of the European Union. More than 20 so-called "wholesale customers" of forged documents in twelve regions of Ukraine were identified.

The average volume of forged documents ranged from 200 to 320 items per month. Since the beginning of 2017, the estimated number of false documents produced by the group during the period of their activity amounts to almost 4,000.

As a result of the special operation in Chernivtsi, Lviv and Ternopil regions, the SBU operatives exposed all members of the criminal group, including the "wholesale customer" - an employee of the National Police. The work of the shop for the production of forged documents was also blocked.

During the searches, the law enforcement officers confiscated samples of forged documents, equipment for their production, a large amount of cash obtained from illegal activities, and other items of evidentiary value. All of them will be sent for examination. In addition, the law enforcement seized 5 hunting guns, which were presumably improvised and then stored without proper permits.

Currently, six detainees have been served suspicion notes of committing crimes under Part 3 of Art. 332, part 3 of Art. 358 of the Criminal code of Ukraine.

The investigation is ongoing.

The operation was carried out by officers of the SBU Department for the Protection of National Statehood jointly with the State Bureau of Investigations under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office of Kyiv region.