Foreigner detained in Bukovyna for attempting to smuggle conscripts out of Ukraine
An attempt to illegally transport men of military age abroad was exposed in Chernivtsi region. According to prosecutors, a foreigner working as a carrier tried to smuggle seven Ukrainians to the Republic of Moldova by hiding them among a cargo of alcoholic beverages. The estimated cost of this "service" was from 6 to 13 thousand euros per person
According to the investigation, in January 2026, during the international transportation of beer, the foreigner decided to «add» additional income by hiding the identity of citizens who are banned from leaving Ukraine. The man picked up five Ukrainians in Kyiv, and then two more in Khmelnytsky and Khotyn. He ordered the passengers to hide in the cargo compartment of the semi-trailer and instructed them in detail about what to do in case of a stop: do not move, be silent and do not make any sounds. The driver planned to use a special “password” to signal the successful border crossing by saying the word «Ukraine» three times from the cab
However, at the stage of leaving Ukraine, the man and his passengers were detained by law enforcement officers at the Mamalyha checkpoint. As a result of the detention, 34,000 euros were seized, which indicates the scale of the criminal activity. The foreigner was served a notice of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the National Police in Chernivtsi region with the support of the Security Service of Ukraine
Source and photo Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office