Large-scale theft of natural gas worth 87.5 million hryvnias has been uncovered in Chernivtsi
A scheme involving the illegal diversion of natural gas for use in a boiler house has been uncovered in Chernivtsi. The perpetrators had connected to the gas distribution network without authorisation and were using the gas without it being metered.
This was reported by Serhiy Koretskyi, Chairman of the Board of Naftogaz.
According to him, the criminals illegally laid a gas pipeline to a block of flats, connected themselves to the gas distribution system and were effectively stealing gas to power a local boiler house.
The scheme was uncovered by security specialists from Gazmerezh and Naftogaz. All relevant materials have been handed over to the law enforcement authorities. The chairman of the board noted that Naftogaz will seek compensation for the damage caused.
The losses amount to at least 87.5 million hryvnias. Koretskyi promised to reveal the names of those behind the scheme “shortly”.
“According to our estimates, the annual losses from gas theft by domestic consumers run into billions of hryvnias. This is the result of various schemes and frauds, which we are combating and systematically putting right,” wrote Koretskyi.
As a reminder, it was previously reported that illegal extraction of groundwater worth over 257 million hryvnias had been uncovered in the Kyiv region.
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