Ukrainian law enforcement officers detained the organizers of a large-scale scheme to smuggle men of conscription age to Slovakia. According to the Specialized Defense Prosecutor's Office, the criminals promised clients a safe bypass of official checkpoints thanks to allegedly accurate information about the movement of border patrols.
Details of the scheme and detention in Zakarpattia
The members of the criminal group valued their services at 8,500 US dollars (which is about 7,450 euros). The main feature of this scheme was psychological manipulation of clients: the organizers assured that on a certain section of the green border there is a clear 40-minute interval during which patrols do not appear.
The group included two people — a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a civilian accomplice. The serviceman, through trusted persons, found those willing to leave, and his accomplice handled logistics and transportation to the border zone.
Law enforcement detained both suspects in Uzhhorod about 800 meters from the Slovak border immediately after receiving the full amount of 8,500 dollars. Investigators are currently checking the possible involvement of other military personnel and security service employees in leaking information about patrol schedules.
What the suspects face
The detainees were charged with organizing illegal crossing of the state border. The article's sanctions provide for severe punishment:
- imprisonment for up to nine years;
- a ban on holding certain positions or engaging in certain activities for up to three years;
- confiscation of property.
Price differences on illegal routes
Law enforcement agencies note that similar schemes are regularly recorded, but prices vary significantly depending on the region and route complexity. For example, in another independent case investigated in Kharkiv region, a 27-year-old man offered to transport a 25-year-old draft evader from Kharkiv to Zakarpattia and help cross the border with Slovakia for a total of 5,000 dollars.
In that case, 2,000 dollars covered transportation to western Ukraine, and another 3,000 dollars covered instruction and escort directly near the state border line. Investigations continue, and Ukrainian and European agencies continue to fight illegal migration channels.
