The State Border Guard Service actively counteracts smuggling, comprising the illegal movement of goods using aircraft. In this respect the border search

The State Border Guard Service actively counteracts smuggling, comprising the illegal movement of goods using aircraft. In this respect the border search operations units conducted thorough and systematic work in order to find possible takeoff and landing aircraft sites. Activities were conducted in close cooperation with the border authorities of Poland, performing operational data exchange as well.

The work resulted in a positive outcome.

In the framework of criminal proceedings, operational search units of the Western Regional Directorate, involving mobile border post in Kremenets district of Ternopil region, detained the AN-2 Antonov aicraft. The violators planned to move a large amount of tobacco to Poland.

The operation took more than one day, as the violators changed the takeoff site several times. Some persons and 2 vehicles being suspected in the violation were also detained. Some citizens tried to escape from the sites, but the border guards detained them. There border guards found about 70 boxes of cigarettes.

Ukrainian border guards informed their Polish colleagues about this detention promptly to let them conduct searches on their territory, as an approximate location of cigarettes delivery became known after the violators’ arrest.

Currently operational group of the Security Service of Ukraine and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine is conducting the investigation into the case.