BES exposes jewelry and watch smuggling via Warsaw-Kyiv train conductors
Detectives of the Main Detective Unit of the Bureau of Economic Security (BES) of Ukraine have exposed an organized group of 11 people, five of whom are employees of Ukrzaliznytsia and owners of a private company, who organized the movement of jewelry and Swiss watches across the state border of Ukraine, hiding them from customs control.
"The valuables were purchased in the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, etc. They were then imported to Poland and handed over to the conductors of the international passenger train Warsaw-Kyiv/Kyiv-Warsaw," the BES said in a statement on Tuesday.
The investigation found that the jewelry and Swiss watches were hidden in the structural cavities of the train car, and in Kyiv they were sold in their own store for cash, non-cash payments and cryptocurrency.
Law enforcement officers conducted authorized searches of the train, store, and residences of the suspects and seized contraband products of well-known brands worth over $10 million and $800,000 in cash.
BES detectives reported 11 individuals on suspicion of committing a criminal offense under Part 3 of Article 201-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (movement across the customs border of Ukraine with concealment from customs control of goods (except for excisable goods and electricity), committed on a large scale by an organized group of individuals).
By court decision, the suspects’ property, which was purchased with funds obtained from criminal activity, including cars and a yacht, was seized. The suspects were given preventive measures.
It is noted that operational support was provided by employees of the Main Directorate "D" of the Department for the Protection of National Statehood of the Security Service of Ukraine, and procedural management was provided by prosecutors of the Prosecutor General's Office.