Ukrainian Officials Accused of Assisting Tax Evasion Face Trial

Feb.03
Ukrainian Officials Accused of Assisting Tax Evasion Face Trial
Ukrainian officials face prosecution for assisting in smuggling e-cigarettes and evading customs fees, causing significant national losses.

According to the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office on February 2, the Chernivtsi region prosecutor's office has recently filed a lawsuit against customs and border officials, accusing them of assisting in tax evasion and abusing their power when importing e-cigarette products, resulting in significant losses to the country.


The investigation results indicate that two Ukrainian officials from the Chernivtsi Customs, in collusion with border service personnel, assisted in the illegal importation of e-cigarette products. They deliberately turned a blind eye to the transportation of e-cigarettes from Europe to Ukraine, allowing them to smoothly pass through customs inspections. Due to these illegal activities, around 170,000 e-cigarettes were unlawfully brought into Ukraine, resulting in a loss of approximately 42 million hryvnia (about 1 million USD) in tax revenue and tariffs for the national budget.


According to Article 27(2), Article 212(3), and Article 365(3) of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, the above actions have constituted a crime. Currently, the case is being further investigated, and those responsible will face harsh legal penalties.


Original Text: 协助走私e-cigarette并逃避支付4200万乌克兰格里夫纳的海关费用——海关和边境官员将在布科维纳接受审判 Translated Text: Assisting in smuggling e-cigarettes and evading payment of 42 million Ukrainian hryvnias in customs fees - customs and border officials will face trial in Bucovina.


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