The active measures taken by the State Border Guard Service to prevent illegal actions at the border reduce the number of attempts by tobacco smugglers to cross the border for illegal gainful employment.

 

The active measures taken by the State Border Guard Service to prevent illegal actions at the border reduce the number of attempts by tobacco smugglers to cross the border for illegal gainful employment.

The illegal elements themselves, who do not want to give up their usual “working life”, are looking for new ways to move tobacco products abroad, including the use of aircraft.

One of them was recently discovered and removed from smugglers by servicemen of the Main Operations and Search Department and the mobile unit of the Mukacheve Border Guard Detachment together with officers of the Security Service of Ukraine. The events took place under the procedural management of the Prosecutor’s Office in Zakarpattia Oblast.

The smugglers’ hang-glider was detained immediately after landing near Ilnytsa settlement of Irshava District, Zakarpattia Oblast, during the implementation of operational information. Law enforcement officers also detained two pilots who were operating the hang glider. In addition, when inspecting the scene of the accident, law enforcement officers found and removed navigation devices with laid routes, radio stations, flash media, a tablet and devices used for landing the aircraft.

It is now known that the detained citizens have on several occasions illegally transported tobacco products to Romania. A notification has been sent to the General Directorate of the SSU in Zakarpattia Oblast on the discovery of signs of a criminal offence under Article 334 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “Violation of International Flight Rules”.

The aircraft has been confiscated from smugglers and transported to the Mukacheve Border Guard Detachment. The investigation is ongoing.