Odessa police detained a criminal group of “black” lumberjacks led by a deputy of the city council
Among the participants of the group are residents of Odessa and Kirovohrad regions. Part of the illegally cut wood was supplied to the organizer's enterprise for the production of charcoal. The amount of damage caused is almost one million hryvnias.
The criminal activities of the group were exposed and all its participants were installed by the operatives of the Strategic Investigations Department in the Odessa region of the National Police together with the investigators of the regional police.
It was established that a deputy of one of the city councils organized the activities of the group of “black lumberjacks”. It consisted of 4 people — residents of Odessa and Kirovohrad regions. Roles were clearly distributed among all participants: selection of “personnel”, their coordination and control, chopping and processing of wood, transporting it to points of sale. Part of the products were sold according to forged documents in the territory of the region, the rest was supplied to the enterprise of the organizer for the production of charcoal.
As a result of criminal activity, losses of almost a million hryvnias were caused.
On August 31, the police detained the organizer and four members of the group. They also conducted authorized searches of the places of residence of the defendants, the storage of charcoal and wood, in the vehicles they use. Withdrew 205 thousand UAH, 178 thousand dollars USA and 48 thousand euros, wood, “rough records”, weapons, cartridges of various calibers, in particular and without any marking.
The deputy of the city council and his accomplices have already been informed of the suspicion of committing criminal offenses provided for in Part 2 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 28, Part 4 of Article 246 (illegal smuggling or illegal transportation, storage, sale of forest) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The suspects were detained in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. The issue of choosing preventive measures for them is being resolved.
Procedural guidance in criminal proceedings is carried out by the Odessa Regional Prosecutor's Office.
Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police of Ukraine
