In Kyiv, law enforcement officers uncovered and detained the organizer of a large-scale scheme involving illegal smuggling of Ukrainian nationals abroad, which could have yielded him hundreds of thousands of dollars in income
The 34-year-old resident of the capital is suspected of creating and implementing a complex criminal scheme that involved manufacturing forged documents and organizing the illegal departure of Ukrainian citizens abroad to evade military service and other obligations to the state. According to information provided by the press service of the National Police and the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, the man was detained during investigative actions at his private residence, as well as in an automobile and garage registered to him. During the searches, law enforcement officers seized significant amounts of cash—nearly $30,000 USD, over €1,100, and more than ₴26,000—which indicates the scale of his criminal activities. In addition to cash, illicitly obtained items included handwritten notes, weapons such as an automatic rifle with ammunition and a magazine, several hand grenades, and detonators. Also among the confiscated items was a forged law enforcement ID card, which could suggest intentions to use it to deceive potential clients or intimidate others. The organizer’s danger is further heightened by his strong connections within medical institutions, enabling him to provide clients with fake documents bearing falsified diagnoses or genuine bureaucratic certificates with unlawful alterations. Preliminary data indicates that for $50,000, he offered a document forgery service, which could produce legitimate documents indicating removal from military registration or entirely fake medical records, thus justifying crossing the Ukrainian border outside legal procedures. Overall, the criminal scheme involved manufacturing and selling "tickets" for traveling abroad, which would have been impossible without the participation of forged documents and corrupt officials in relevant agencies. This scheme threatened not only national sovereignty but also the safety of citizens attempting to evade conscription or other duties. The investigation confirmed that the man has already been formally charged under Article 332, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which pertains to illegal border crossing. He has been remanded in custody with the possibility of posting bail set at two million hryvnias. Under the law, he faces up to nine years of imprisonment with confiscation of property for his actions. The investigation is ongoing to establish all circumstances surrounding his criminal activities. Local law enforcement continues investigative procedures to identify other members of the criminal group and assess the extent of their operations. The investigation into this scheme is significant for combating corruption in public service and healthcare sectors, as well as for strengthening state control over illegal cross-border smuggling schemes, which are increasingly relevant in the context of Ukraine’s national security.