They were selling tickets for international trains: National Police exposes organized crime group at Ukrzaliznytsia (video)
11 December 21:14
The National Police has served a notice of suspicion to a criminal organization of Ukrzaliznytsia employees, whose members organized a large-scale scheme of extortion on international trains. This was reported by Komersant ukrainskyi with reference to the press service of the National Police.
According to law enforcement officials, the head of the trade union organization organized criminal schemes in rail transportation in Ukraine. He created a “team” of managers and officials who ran the production unit of the Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi station. According to the scheme, train managers were supposed to take money from each trip – from 2000 hryvnias from the route in Ukraine and from 2000 to 5000 euros from foreign connections. Over six months, Ukrzaliznytsia lost more than 70 million hryvnias under this scheme.
Demand for railroad tickets increased sharply due to Russia’s war with Ukraine and the closure of airspace. Participants in the scheme tried to profit from this situation. The head of the union personally approved candidates for train managers and conductors and explained the “rules of the game” to them. They also had to join the union and pay dues. If they did not agree, they were not appointed or transferred to other positions.
The first scheme involved conductors selling seats in service compartments to passengers without issuing receipts. The second scheme involved the purchase of tickets for vacant seats and their subsequent sale at prices higher than the official price. Receipts were also not issued as required by Ukrzaliznytsia’s rules.
The funds received were not reflected in the financial statements and were distributed among the participants, with the majority going to the head of the union. The schemes led to an artificial shortage of tickets in the free sale system.
To neutralize the criminal organization, a special operation was conducted, as a result of which 10 participants in the scheme were suspected. Their actions are suspected of violating Article 255 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (creation and management of a criminal association or organization) and Article 364 (abuse of power or position). The SBU seized money in national and foreign currency, cars, documents and other evidence from the suspects.
The investigation is ongoing. Law enforcement officers are collecting evidence to bring all those involved to justice.
