Criminals have now "re-profiled" and started smuggling evaders abroad, - National Police
The full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation has changed the schemes of illegal business: former smugglers now organise illegal border crossings, where prices for "services" are rising every year.
This was stated by Denys Lysenko, Deputy Head of the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police, in an interview with Censor.NET.
"Most of those who were involved in smuggling, which is now on the decline during the war, have indeed 're-profiled' and started to engage in more profitable illegal business. Because there are many more requests for illegal border crossings. And this "service" is becoming more expensive every year, with the risk of being detained included in the price," he said.
The price of the "service" has also changed, Lysenko said.
"If, for example, in 2022, the price was up to $3,000 for one person to be transferred or transported illegally across the border (by fording across the river, through the mountains, in a hidden compartment of a car), in 2023-2024 we saw the price increase. And at present, it varies from 10 to 20 thousand US dollars per person. It all depends on the method of crossing the border.
As soon as the National Police, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the State Border Guard Service began to actively detect such facts, the first suspicions were announced, and then the courts issued sentences, administrative protocols were drawn up, fines were imposed, this area of illegal activity became more organised. And the price for each "evader" increased," - Deputy Head of the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police explained.
According to Lysenko, criminal liability is provided specifically for organising illegal border crossings. A person who crosses the border illegally is only subject to an administrative offence, i.e. must pay a fine.
"For example, in the European Union, the mere fact of illegal crossing is a criminal offence. If you are detained at the border, the materials are sent to court and a preventive measure is chosen. We don't have this because our legislation is more lenient. Criminal proceedings are initiated if a person is served with a summons, but deliberately fails to appear at the TCR. That is, when a person has a relevant motive," he added.
Read the full text of the interview with Denys Lysenko, Deputy Head of the Strategic Investigations Department of the National Police, for Censor.NET at the link.
