The Security Service of Ukraine revealed the illegal cooperation of Ukrainian customs officers with four smugglers who, in April 2021, according to the presidential decree, were included in the sanctions list of the National Security and Defense Council. It was also established that three of them have Russian citizenship, and another one has Romanian citizenship, the press service of the SBU reported..

“Most of the sanctioned defendants sought to circumvent the restrictions, continued their illegal activities through affiliated structures and tried to maintain influence on officials. Under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General, 23 searches were carried out at several sanctioned persons, as a result of which weapons, ammunition and explosives were found,” the SBU said in a statement..

24 employees of the State Customs Service, including executive level employees, were removed from their positions. President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky commented on this operation in his evening video message on September 7..

“I have repeatedly noted: there will be no place for smugglers and criminal networks in Ukraine. Customs officials who helped smugglers, including among the leaders, have been suspended and will receive a legal response to all their illegal actions, said President Volodymyr Zelensky. “And with regard to those of the sanctioned persons who also had foreign citizenship, including Russian and Romanian, then, on the basis of the proposal of the Security Service of Ukraine and in accordance with the norms of the current legislation, I decided to terminate the Ukrainian citizenship of these persons.”.

Recall that in the spring of 2021, the National Security and Defense Council for the first time imposed sanctions against the top 10 smugglers of Ukraine - their assets are blocked. At the same time, dozens of customs officers were removed from their positions.. Later, the sanctions list was expanded.