A large-scale amber smuggling operation has been uncovered in the Rivne region
Operatives from the Department of Strategic Investigations, investigators from the Main Investigation Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine, and the Office of the Prosecutor General have documented large-scale illegal amber mining in the Rivne region.
According to law enforcement officials, subsoil users obtained special permits for the geological study of amber-bearing sites and the conduct of exploratory work. To this end, they were granted temporary use of land plots within forest areas. However, according to the investigation, instead of the work permitted by the licences, illegal industrial amber mining was taking place in these areas for subsequent sale.
The investigation established that, instead of the boreholes specified in the project documentation, homemade motor pumps and soil hydro-washing technology were used. Powerful jets of water were used to wash away the amber-bearing layer of soil, after which the stones were extracted from the surface. According to law enforcement officials, this method causes significant damage to the environment, destroying the fertile soil layer, damaging forest plantations and altering the natural terrain.
Law enforcement officers also established that individuals were involved in the scheme who purchased amber without documentation of its legal origin for subsequent export via established channels. Furthermore, indications were found of a possible underreporting of actual extraction volumes in the reporting documentation, which could have led to budget losses due to non-payment of mandatory fees for subsoil use.
On 9 June, under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General, 47 authorised and urgent searches were carried out in the Rivne region. As a result, over 52 kilograms of amber, 26 motor pumps, 256 spare parts for them, equipment for processing and cleaning amber, two vehicles, financial and business documentation, geological maps, mobile phones, rough notes and over 29,000 dollars in cash.
During an inspection of land plots totalling approximately 50 hectares, law enforcement officers documented the complete destruction of the fertile soil layer and over 700 trees of various species. Soil samples were taken for further analysis.
Investigative and procedural measures are currently underway to identify all persons involved in the illegal extraction and sale of amber, as well as to determine the extent of the damage caused to the environment and the state.
The pre-trial investigation is being conducted under Part 2 of Article 240-1 and Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
In accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of a crime until their guilt has been proven in accordance with the law and established by a court conviction.
