Fraud in the export of non-ferrous and precious metals estimated at over 100 million hryvnias had been exposed.

Criminals bought obsolete electrical equipment that contains non-ferrous and precious metals. By evading taxes, scrap was exported to Poland as electrical equipment and illegally received value added tax refunds. According to preliminary estimates, during 2020-2021, the exporting company reimbursed VAT totaling more than UAH 65 million and filed a claim for reimbursement of more than UAH 26 million.

Law enforcement officers conducted 18 searches in Kyiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv and Volyn oblasts. Documents and equipment that may be evidence in criminal proceedings were confiscated. In one of the logistics centers found more than 320 tons of cargo in pallets, prepared for shipment to Poland. One of the parties, worth 126,000 euros, was detained at the Yahodyn border crossing point directly while trying to leave Ukraine.

Yesterday in Lviv and Kyiv, the head of the exporting company, brokers and two employees of Lviv Customs were handed a report of suspicion and a request to choose precautions and removal from office. The issue of seizing confiscated property in order to compensate for the damage caused to the state is being resolved. There is the investigation into this case.

Measures to expose this scheme were carried out by officers of the Main Operational and Investigation Department of Lviv Border Guard Detachment under the coordination of the State Bureau of Investigation and under the procedural guidance of Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine.