An illegal channel for smuggling Soviet air defense systems was exposed in Ukraine
The Security Service of Ukraine has exposed a scheme for the illegal import into the country of three Soviet S-125 anti-aircraft missile systems worth more than 110 million hryvnia
This was reported by the press service of the SBU, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“According to preliminary data, representatives of a domestic commercial enterprise in the defense industry organized an illegal scheme for the import of weapons without making mandatory payments to the state budget. The defendants illegally applied a preference for allegedly importing products for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
To do this, they entered false information into the customs declaration during customs clearance of the goods. Also, to illegally transport products across the state border, the dealers used the details of an affiliated company with signs of fictitiousness, registered in one of the European countries,” the report says.
The department emphasized that smuggling caused damage to the budget of Ukraine by more than 20 million hryvnia.
The SBU also added that the anti-aircraft missile systems did not reach the army - they were stored on the territory of one of the enterprise’s logistics bases in the Kyiv region in order to later be sold abroad.
“During searches in office, production and warehouse premises, as well as at the residence addresses of the defendants, law enforcement officers found documents, computer equipment, electronic storage media and other items confirming illegal activities,” the department noted, adding that at the moment The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.
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