Under the procedural guidance of the Lviv Regional Prosecutor's Office, a scheme for the resale of passenger cars imported from abroad under the guise of humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been uncovered (Part 1 of Article 201-4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Among those involved is the head of a charitable foundation in the Lviv region.

According to the investigation, since May of this year, a 35-year-old resident of Cherkasy organized a systematic import of used cars from EU countries, particularly Lithuania and Poland.

To avoid paying customs duties, the documents stated that the cars were intended for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and were imported as humanitarian aid. For this purpose, the details of at least three charitable organizations were used.

Drivers from various regions of Ukraine were involved in the direct transportation of the vehicles across the customs. In addition, some cars were imported by the head of one of the charitable foundations in the Lviv region, a 59-year-old resident of the Sheptytskyi district, who knew that they would not reach the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The cars were brought into Ukraine marked in the registration documents as "Humanitarian aid. Sale prohibited." However, they were subsequently stored at a car lot in Uman, where buyers could inspect the vehicles. The organizer sold the cars for cash, and the vehicles were received by individuals who were not entitled to use humanitarian vehicles.

To actively promote the illegal business, the man advertised the cars on social media. If the vehicles could not be sold due to their technical condition, they were dismantled and sold as spare parts. This was handled by an accomplice—a 34-year-old resident of the Kolomyia district.

The illegal activity was halted after the recording of another car sale for 9,500 US dollars.

During searches at the residences of the scheme participants and at the locations where the vehicles were stored, four "KIA" cars, nearly 3 million UAH in cash, and other evidence were seized. The value of the seized cars amounts to over 1.3 million UAH.

Investigative actions are ongoing. All involved persons are being identified.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Territorial Administration of the Bureau of Economic Security in the Lviv region, with operational support from the 6th Border Detachment of the Volyn Border Guard of Ukraine and the Strategic Investigations Department in the Volyn region of the National Police of Ukraine.

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 a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.