The SBI unmasked a criminal group that had cut down forests for more than UAH 4 million

The SBI unmasked a criminal group that had cut down forests for more than UAH 4 million dbr.gov.ua

Anna Velyka

Dealers can get up to 7 years in prison

Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation completed pre-trial investigation and submitted to the court the case against an organized group of 9 people, which only for 5 months of illegal activity cut down about 1 thousand trees in Kirovohrad region. By their actions “black loggers” caused damage to the state for more than 4 million UAH.

About it reports the State bureau of investigations.

In March 2023, the forest master of one of the forestries of the region organized illegal cutting of trees under the guise of sanitary. In accomplices he attracted a senior forest master, a forester and 6 civilian participants who directly cut, removed and sold wood. They used forged invoices to simulate the legality of timber transportation to the customer.

dbr.gov.ua

The group members are accused of illegally cutting down trees in forests, which led to grave consequences, and of official forgery (part 2 of article 27, part 3 of article 27, part 3 of article 28, part 4 of article 246 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, part 2 of article 27, part 3 of article 27, part 3 of article 28, part 2 of article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanction of the article provides for punishment of up to 7 years in prison.

The other day, EcoPolitic reported that in Bukovina a scheme of illegal logging worth millions of hryvnia was exposed.

Related
This week’s round-up of environmental crimes: deforestation, environmental pollution and land disputes
This week’s round-up of environmental crimes: deforestation, environmental pollution and land disputes

In the Chernivtsi region, a forestry official is to stand trial for felling trees that ‘obstructed’ the unplanned construction of a road

Deregulation in the EU: relaxation of a number of environmental regulations concerning hydrogen, forests and batteries
Deregulation in the EU: relaxation of a number of environmental regulations concerning hydrogen, forests and batteries

The European Commission has excluded a number of products from the regulations on deforestation and removable batteries

The son of the former chief forester of Volyn is on trial for felling over a thousand trees
The son of the former chief forester of Volyn is on trial for felling over a thousand trees

An organised gang falsified documents and covered up the traces of the crime

Hidden speed cameras, barriers and stepped-up enforcement operations: how Ukraine is tackling off-road driving
Hidden speed cameras, barriers and stepped-up enforcement operations: how Ukraine is tackling off-road driving

Driving 1 km in an off-road vehicle through a nature reserve could cost an offender over 60,000 UAH, with the vehicle being confiscated