NABU has forwarded a significant \"grey import\" case from the Chernivtsi Customs Office to the court

NABU has forwarded a significant "grey import" case from the Chernivtsi Customs Office to the court

Ukrainian prosecutors send a $7 million customs fraud case to court, with some suspects already convicted through plea deals.

Ukrainian anti-corruption prosecutors have sent to court a large-scale criminal case against officials of the Chernivtsi Customs Office accused of running a “grey import” scheme that cost the state nearly 290 million hryvnias (about $7 million).

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) said they completed the investigation into what they described as a criminal organization embedded in the customs authority. Investigators allege the group manipulated import duties through fraudulent declarations, allowing high-value goods to enter Ukraine at artificially low rates.

The organization allegedly included both current and former customs officers, among them the former head of the Chernivtsi Customs Office, a former member of the Chernivtsi regional council and several local businessmen.

NABU and SAP said the operation was uncovered on April 16, 2024, when investigators charged 11 individuals. The investigation concluded in September. Since then, the High Anti-Corruption Court has approved plea agreements for four members of the group. They paid around 180 million hryvnias (about $4.4 million) to the state budget and to support Ukraine’s armed forces.

According to investigators, the scheme operated through the Vadul-Siret checkpoint on Ukraine’s border with Romania. Trucks carrying Turkish goods such as clothing, footwear and accessories were allegedly declared as empty or masked with low-value cargo such as fabric, particleboard or bricks. Customs officers allegedly used falsified documents to give the trucks expedited clearance without inspection.

The vehicles were then taken to warehouses, where the high-value goods were unloaded for sale on the domestic market. To maintain cover, the trucks were reloaded with the cheaper goods and presented at the Chernivtsi Customs Office for final clearance and minimized duties.