In Bukovyna, a scheme for smuggling men across the border was uncovered, earning more than €200,000

In Chernivtsi region, law enforcement officers uncovered an organized group that had set up a “hub” in a border settlement and was smuggling military-age men into Romania through the forest for €5,000 to €15,000 each, earning more than €200,000 from the scheme.

This was announced by the press service of Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service.

According to the investigation, the scheme was organized by a 43-year-old resident of the border area, who recruited six more accomplices. In the settlement, they set up a kind of “hub” where the men were gathered, instructed, and prepared for illegal border crossing.

The organizers escorted the men into Romania through the forest in groups of five to seven people. They used radios, thermal imagers, and night-vision devices for coordination.

They charged between €5,000 and €15,000 per person for the crossing. Law enforcement documented at least four such cases and identified more than 20 people who used the scheme. Some of them were detained while attempting to cross the border.

“The total profit exceeded €200,000. During nearly 40 searches, cash, communication devices, and equipment were seized. In one of the houses, six more men prepared for the crossing were found”.

On March 28, prosecutors notified the members of the group that they were under suspicion under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Preventive measures were imposed — detention in custody with the alternative of bail.”