The leader of illegal sand mining on an industrial scale was detained in Kharkiv region. Photo

The leader of illegal sand mining on an industrial scale was detained in Kharkiv region. Photo facebook.com/SecurSerUkraine
Katerina Belousova

Stolen subsoil was sold through an extensive network of affiliated commercial structures

In Kharkiv Oblast, the Security Service of Ukraine detained the organizer of a criminal group for illegal mining of construction sand on an industrial scale worth UAH 1 billion.

The violator hid from the investigation for more than 5 months, the Security Service of Ukraine reports on Facebook.

At the beginning of 2022, the SSU neutralized a criminal group that established underground mining of minerals in the Kharkiv region. Criminals set up several illegal quarries on the territory of Rohansk community and sold the stolen mineral resources through an extensive network of affiliated commercial structures.

"Then the law enforcement officers detained three organizers of illegal business. However, their leader hid from the investigation and was declared a national wanted person," the SSU said.

facebook.com/SecurSerUkraine

facebook.com/SecurSerUkraine

The violator was informed of the suspicion of committing a crime, the issue of choosing a preventive measure in the form of detention is currently being resolved.

"It was established that the attacker was part of the closest circle of the deceased criminal authority nicknamed "Prince". His group is involved in deliberate murders, raids and kidnappings in Kharkiv, Dnipro and Poltava regions. The gang was neutralized during a large-scale special operation of the SSU in July 2020," the article says.

The SSU conducts comprehensive measures to identify and bring to justice all persons involved in crimes against Ukraine.

The perpetrator was detained by SSU employees together with the police under the procedural guidance of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.

As EcoPolitic reported before, they illegally mined in the Rivne region on the territory of the Duben forest farm 4616 cubic meters of building sand, which caused damage to the state in the amount of more than 4.6 million hryvnias.

Related
Precious timber instead of firewood: forest rangers and the head of the Kharkiv region caught taking bribes
Precious timber instead of firewood: forest rangers and the head of the Kharkiv region caught taking bribes

The court decided to remand the suspects in custody, with the possibility of bail

Quarries instead of gardens, buildings instead of forests, stumps instead of trees: a roundup of environmental crimes
Quarries instead of gardens, buildings instead of forests, stumps instead of trees: a roundup of environmental crimes

In the most high-profile case, the prosecutor’s office succeeded in proving that the development of the Svyatoshyn Ponds in Kyiv was illegal; however, the ponds had already been filled in

Environmental crimes of the week: privatization of nature reserves, protection of primeval forests, pollution costing millions
Environmental crimes of the week: privatization of nature reserves, protection of primeval forests, pollution costing millions

Due to criminal conspiracies led by forestry officials, thousands of trees continue to be illegally cut down in Ukraine

Forests in Kharkiv are being destroyed for sand extraction. The creation of a nature reserve is being blocked
Forests in Kharkiv are being destroyed for sand extraction. The creation of a nature reserve is being blocked

Criminal cases are brought against activists and they are persecuted