According to the investigation, two residents of the Odessa region in the summer of 2023 formed and headed a stable association - a criminal organization, whose members produced more than 3.8 thousand false documents issued by units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Finished orders were sent out by post. The businessmen operated in the territory of five regions, namely: Vinnitsa, Odessa, Lvov, Donetsk and Kharkov.
Earlier it was reported that in order to “promote a business,” the attackers even created a website with a link to the Telegram messenger, through which they accepted orders. Among the fakes that could be purchased from dealers are a driver’s license and vehicle registration certificates, residence permits, certificates of completion of a driving school, and a passport of a citizen of Ukraine.
The large-scale criminal scheme was eliminated by investigators from the GUNP in the Vinnytsia region and employees of the Vinnytsia Department of the Department of Internal Security of the National Police, together with operatives of the SBU, with the physical support of special forces from KORD and DVB NPU.
Then law enforcement officers simultaneously conducted 35 authorized searches of the defendants in five regions of Ukraine. During the events, a large number of already produced documents and blanks for future orders, seals with signs of counterfeiting from public and private institutions, including one of the service centers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, almost $90,000 and equipment used to produce counterfeits were seized.
Under the procedural leadership of the Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor's Office, investigators from the investigative department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Vinnytsia region collected evidence, on the basis of which two organizers were informed of suspicion of two organizers and five members of a criminal organization who were falsifying official documents using illegally obtained holographic security elements. During the investigation, it was proven that the profits of the defendants obtained through criminal means amount to almost 6.5 million hryvnia. Members of the group legalized them, including through crypto wallets.
Participants in the criminal organization are charged with a number of crimes, including:
- creation, management of a criminal community or criminal organization, as well as participation in it;
- legalization (laundering) of property obtained by criminal means;
- forgery of documents, seals, stamps and forms, sale or use of counterfeit documents, seals, stamps;
- production, storage, acquisition, transportation, forwarding, import into Ukraine for the purpose of using in the sale of goods, sale or sale of counterfeit money, government securities existing in paper form, state lottery tickets, excise tax stamps or holographic security elements;
- involvement of minors in illegal activities (parts 1, 2 of Article 255, part 4 of Article 28, part 3 of Article 199, part 4 of Article 28, part 3 of Article 358, part 3 of Art. 15, part 4 of article 28, part 3 of article 358, part 3 of article 15, part 4 of article 28, part 3 of article 358, part 4 of article 28, part 3 of article 209 , part 1 of article 304 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The pre-trial investigation continues. The suspects face up to twelve years in prison with confiscation of property.
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Earlier it was reported that in order to “promote a business,” the attackers even created a website with a link to the Telegram messenger, through which they accepted orders. Among the fakes that could be purchased from dealers are a driver’s license and vehicle registration certificates, residence permits, certificates of completion of a driving school, and a passport of a citizen of Ukraine.
The large-scale criminal scheme was eliminated by investigators from the GUNP in the Vinnytsia region and employees of the Vinnytsia Department of the Department of Internal Security of the National Police, together with operatives of the SBU, with the physical support of special forces from KORD and DVB NPU.
Then law enforcement officers simultaneously conducted 35 authorized searches of the defendants in five regions of Ukraine. During the events, a large number of already produced documents and blanks for future orders, seals with signs of counterfeiting from public and private institutions, including one of the service centers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, almost $90,000 and equipment used to produce counterfeits were seized.
Under the procedural leadership of the Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor's Office, investigators from the investigative department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Vinnytsia region collected evidence, on the basis of which two organizers were informed of suspicion of two organizers and five members of a criminal organization who were falsifying official documents using illegally obtained holographic security elements. During the investigation, it was proven that the profits of the defendants obtained through criminal means amount to almost 6.5 million hryvnia. Members of the group legalized them, including through crypto wallets.
Participants in the criminal organization are charged with a number of crimes, including:
- creation, management of a criminal community or criminal organization, as well as participation in it;
- legalization (laundering) of property obtained by criminal means;
- forgery of documents, seals, stamps and forms, sale or use of counterfeit documents, seals, stamps;
- production, storage, acquisition, transportation, forwarding, import into Ukraine for the purpose of using in the sale of goods, sale or sale of counterfeit money, government securities existing in paper form, state lottery tickets, excise tax stamps or holographic security elements;
- involvement of minors in illegal activities (parts 1, 2 of Article 255, part 4 of Article 28, part 3 of Article 199, part 4 of Article 28, part 3 of Article 358, part 3 of Art. 15, part 4 of article 28, part 3 of article 358, part 3 of article 15, part 4 of article 28, part 3 of article 358, part 4 of article 28, part 3 of article 209 , part 1 of article 304 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The pre-trial investigation continues. The suspects face up to twelve years in prison with confiscation of property.
• Video:
