A locomotive engineer from “Ukrzaliznytsia” smuggled men abroad for $8,000

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the State Border Guard Service have detained a locomotive engineer from Ukrzaliznytsia and his assistant for attempting to illegally smuggle men across the border.

This information reported according to the SBU press center.

The 31-year-old engineer and his 35-year-old assistant were offering conscription-aged men transportation to EU countries on an international train for $8,000.

Law enforcement detained the two suspects at the international border checkpoint “Yahodyn” as they attempted to smuggle a conscription-aged man hidden in the locomotive’s cooling shaft.

Both individuals have been charged under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal transportation of persons across the state border). Investigative actions are ongoing to hold all parties involved in the criminal activity accountable.

Previously, media reported a case in left-bank Ukraine where a resident offered conscription-aged men a way to leave the country by posing as karate athletes. In another incident in December, smugglers in Zakarpattia attempted to transport draft dodgers across the border disguised as part of a funeral procession.