In the Rivne region, men who illegally obtained amber in a nature reserve will stand trial

In the Rivne region, indictments have been filed against two men suspected of illegal amber transactions. Law enforcement officers found more than 19 kg of amber worth approximately 370,000 hryvnias in the possession of one of them, while the other is accused of illegally mining amber on the territory of the Rivne Nature Reserve.

Prosecutors from the Sarny District Prosecutor’s Office have filed indictments against two residents of Rivne Oblast. They are charged with the illegal extraction, acquisition, storage, and transportation of amber whose legal origin has not been confirmed by the relevant documents.

In one case, law enforcement officers discovered more than 19 kg of amber of various sizes during a search of an Opel Combo.

According to the investigation, a 30-year-old resident of the Varash District was transporting the amber in specially equipped hiding places in the vehicle’s trunk and passenger compartment.

According to the findings of a gemological examination, the value of the seized amber is approximately 370,000 hryvnias. The man did not have any documents confirming the legality of its origin.

Another suspect, a 36-year-old resident of the Rivne district, is suspected of illegally mining amber within the territory of a nature reserve.

According to the investigation, the man, along with unidentified individuals, was engaged in illegal mining in the forest area of the Rivne Nature Reserve, within the administrative boundaries of the Starosilsk community in the Sarny district.

The prosecutor’s office emphasizes that the use of protected areas for illegal amber mining violates environmental protection laws and poses a threat to the preservation of unique natural ecosystems.

The actions of both men have been classified under Part 2 of Article 240-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—illegal operations involving amber, committed on a large scale or within the territory of a nature reserve.

According to the prosecutor’s office, both defendants have admitted guilt in the criminal offenses charged against them. If found guilty, they face up to seven years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.

The pretrial investigation was conducted by investigators from the 2nd Division of the Sarny District Police Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Rivne Oblast, with operational support from the 2nd Division of the Sarny District Police Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Rivne Oblast.

The prosecutor’s office noted that it will continue measures to stop the illegal extraction of amber and bring those responsible to justice, particularly in cases of offenses committed within nature reserve areas.

This was reported by the Rivne Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

Previously, law enforcement officials had notified four participants in a scheme to illegally export over 4.7 metric tons of Ukrainian amber that they were under suspicion. The stones were smuggled abroad under the guise of amber from Lithuania.

The Khmelnytskyi City and District Court approved plea agreements involving four members of an organized criminal group who set up a channel for the illegal export of amber to Turkey.