Photo: A scheme to smuggle men to Moldova for 17,000 euros was uncovered in Kyiv
In Kyiv, law enforcement officials uncovered a network involved in the illegal smuggling of men subject to military conscription to Moldova. According to the investigation, the ringleader was a 25-year-old native of Zaporizhzhia who currently resides in the capital.
According to investigators, the man recruited individuals willing to leave Ukraine illegally, briefed them, arranged their transportation to the border area, and facilitated their subsequent crossing of the state border.
Initially, the route was supposed to go through Odesa, and the cost of the “services” was 17,000 euros. Later, the suspect changed both the route and the payment terms. At first, he demanded a transfer of funds to a crypto wallet, but later insisted on cash payment.
Ultimately, the parties agreed on a two-stage payment: 14,000 euros before departure and another 1,000 dollars immediately before crossing the border—approximately 150 meters from the border zone.
Law enforcement officers detained the suspect while he was receiving the first portion of the payment.
He was notified of the charges against him under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—illegal smuggling of persons across the state border of Ukraine. The penalty under this article provides for up to nine years of imprisonment.
The operation to expose the crime was conducted by Kyiv police investigators in collaboration with operatives from the National Police’s Department of Internal Security, servicemen of the State Border Guard Service, and employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The pre-trial investigation is ongoing under the procedural supervision of the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office.
This was reported by the National Police of Ukraine on July 28.
As a reminder, a scheme to smuggle conscripts to Moldova was uncovered in the Sumy region.
Law enforcement officers in the Odesa region uncovered the organizer of an illegal scheme to smuggle conscripts abroad. According to police, 147 men were being smuggled out of the country under the guise of sailors.
