Prosecutors of the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Office of the Prosecutor General, together with the Main Investigation Department and the State Bureau of Investigation of the National Police of Ukraine, uncovered and halted the illegal extraction of over 30 thousand tons of sand from the Kremenchuk Reservoir.

The operations were conducted outside the permitted area, about half a kilometer from the shore. A powerful dredger with a 150-horsepower engine was used for this purpose, capable of pumping up to 250 cubic meters of sand per hour – equivalent to four large dump trucks.

The extracted sand was illegally transported via a slurry pipeline to the shore and sold to businesses and private individuals, mostly for cash. No taxes or rent payments for the use of subsoil resources were paid.

The scheme was organized by a local entrepreneur who involved technical staff, accountants, and individuals responsible for document processing. They all acted as a coordinated system: some were engaged in extraction and transportation, while others forged documents, disguising illegal activities as legal.

During the searches, a dredger, special equipment, mobile phones, accounting documents, and sand samples for testing were seized. Illegal sand extraction has been completely halted.

Pre-trial investigation is being conducted under Part 3 of Article 240 and Part 2 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – illegal extraction of mineral resources and legalization of income obtained by criminal means. The sanction provides for up to eight years of imprisonment with confiscation of property and a ban on activities related to the use of subsoil resources.

Note: according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in the manner prescribed by law and confirmed by a guilty verdict of the court.