Detectives of the Main Unit of the Bureau of Economic Security of Ukraine have completed a pre-trial investigation into the case of two Kyiv residents who illegally transported luxury items across the state border. Property worth a total of 12.4 million hryvnias was confiscated to the state revenue.
The investigation established that the defendants, in order to evade paying customs and other mandatory payments, hid jewelry in the interior of a bus and among personal belongings. They imported the contraband into the territory of Ukraine through the international checkpoint of the Volyn customs, sending the goods from Warsaw. Later, luxury items were sold in Ukraine for cash or cryptocurrency without paying taxes.
During a sanctioned search of the “Warsaw – Kyiv” bus, which was heading to Ukraine after passing customs control, law enforcement officers found expensive watches worth from one to three million hryvnias, as well as pendants, bracelets, watch parts and other jewelry. The total value of the seized items was 12.4 million hryvnias.
The suspects familiarized themselves with the case materials, pleaded guilty and initiated plea agreements. The seized contraband items were transferred to the state through special confiscation. The indictment under Part 2 of Article 201-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (smuggling of goods) was submitted to the court. The pre-trial investigation has been completed.
Operational support for the case was provided by employees of the Main Directorate “D” of the Department for the Protection of National Statehood of the Security Service of Ukraine. Procedural management was carried out by prosecutors of the Prosecutor General’s Office.
