Law enforcers blocked the channel of illegal migration of foreign “students” to Ukraine
In the course of a special operation, the police, together with border guards, uncovered a large-scale “scheme” of transferring foreigners to Ukraine under the guise of training with subsequent illegal transit to EU countries. The services of attackers cost from 13 to 15 thousand dollars per “student”. Law enforcement officers detained three members of the criminal group.
Police and border guards exposed a large-scale “scheme” of transferring foreigners to Ukraine under the guise of training with subsequent illegal transit to the countries of the European Union. To mask a powerful channel of illegal migration, the attackers created a network of intermediary firms to recruit foreigners. In addition, to cover up criminal activity, the attackers used one of the private higher education institutions. Thus, foreigners received an official invitation to study and legally arrived in the country. Subsequently, the attackers illegally transported them to EU countries outside the checkpoints.
Over the course of several months, law enforcement officers detained about 40 “students” while trying to transfer them to EU countries. It has already been established that in two years the defendants transferred to Ukraine about three thousand foreigners for “education”.
“The geography of offering “training in Ukraine” services with the possibility of further illegal entry into Western European countries covered more than 10 countries of the African continent, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The cost of illegal transit of one “student” to the EU was from 13 to 15 thousand dollars. According to preliminary data, the “shadow” income from this “scheme” amounted to more than a million US dollars annually,” said Igor Malakhov, acting head of the Migration Police Department.
The special operation to detain the intruders took place in several stages. In particular, law enforcement officers detained two members of a criminal group during an attempt to transport four groups of illegal migrants across the state border.
The arrest took place with the strong support of special officers of the TOR unit of the Patrol Police Department. Operational support was carried out
Department of Migration Police and Department of Migration Police in Chernivtsi Oblast together with operational-search units of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
Investigators of the Chernivtsi region police initiated criminal proceedings under Part 2 of Art. 332 (Illegal transfer of persons across the state border of Ukraine) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Procedural guidance in criminal proceedings is carried out by the prosecutor's office of the Chernivtsi region.
During the authorized searches at the place of residence of the defendants, the police seized the seals of legal entities that provided intermediary services in the recruitment of foreign “students”, computer equipment and servers, mobile terminals and flash drives of information, as well as significant amounts of cash in foreign currency Ti.
“At the moment, three members of the criminal group - two foreigners and one citizen of Ukraine - have already been notified of suspicion of organizing illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine. The Ukrainian and one of the foreigners are taken into custody, the issue regarding the choice of preventive measures for the other foreign participant is being resolved. Violators face punishment in the form of imprisonment for up to seven years. Investigative actions continue,” said Igor Malakhov.
Communication Management
National Police of Ukraine
