Donetsk region operatives exposed a group of “black” loggers who destroyed a forest for one and a half million hryvnias
A group of seven people was engaged in illegal chopping and selling of wood on the territory of Kramatorsk district. In order to hide criminal activity, the attackers carried out conspiracy measures. They were exposed by police detectives with the strong support of special officers of the KORD.
For half a year, the Criminal Investigation Department operatives worked on documenting illegal actions together with investigators of the investigative department of the GUNP in Donetsk region under the procedural guidance of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office.
Police officers located all participants and the immediate leader of the group. He turned out to be a 30-year-old resident of Kramatorsk, who organized the illegal chopping and sale of wood.
The group included local men aged 19 to 36. The physical work was performed by two sawyers and two loaders. Other utilities were engaged in the transportation of the chopped to warehouses and its subsequent sale to buyers.
The attackers worked on the territory of the Kramatorsk territorial community according to a well-worked scheme: the initiator of the group or his “assistants” delivered “workers” to the place of felling, and they themselves watched nearby in order to warn them in time by phone in case of approaching outsiders. During transportation ahead, trucks with firewood drove a reconnaissance car to avoid police patrols.
Law enforcement officers documented a number of facts of unauthorized robbery. According to estimates of the State Environmental Service, intruders destroyed hardwood trees (oak, ash, acacia) for one and a half million hryvnias.
With the strong support of KORD fighters, the attackers were detained at the time of the crime.
During searches of residential addresses, vehicles and two bases where the defendants stored wood, chainsaws and wood chopping supplies, fuel, mobile phones and draft records were seized.
On the fact of the crime provided for in Part 4 of Article 246 (Illegal robbery or illegal transportation, storage, sale of forest, if they caused serious consequences) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, criminal proceedings were opened. The defendants face from five to seven years in prison.
Police Communications Department
Donetsk Oblast
