Two residents of Transcarpathia attempted to illegally transport their peers of draft age across the Ukrainian-Slovak border by blending into the funeral procession of a soldier who died at the front.
According to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGSU), the plans were thwarted by the officers of the Chop border detachment. The border guards noted that the smuggling scheme was devised by two Transcarpathians living near the border. For a reward of $18,000, they agreed to deliver two residents of Uzhhorod to the border.
"The border crossing was planned near the village of Knyahynya in the Uzhhorod district. To transport their 'clients' past the checkpoints, the smugglers resorted to a particularly cynical scheme. They pretended to be part of a mourning procession accompanying the body of the fallen soldier to the burial site. The offenders even displayed the state flag from the window of the vehicle in which they were transporting the border violators," the SBGSU detailed.
The border guards noted that the smugglers' tricks were uncovered. "The operatives waited for the procession to conclude before starting the arrests. During the operation, one of the smugglers failed to comply with the law enforcement's order to stop and attempted to run over a border patrol. The 'clients' were thrown out of the vehicle while it was still moving, and the smugglers ordered them to flee," the statement said. The fugitives and their smugglers were apprehended and taken to the border unit.
The SBGSU reported that the actions of the smugglers exhibit signs of a criminal offense under part 3 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code ("illegal transportation of persons across the state border of Ukraine"). They are also being held accountable under Article 185-10 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses ("gross disobedience to a lawful order or demand of a serviceman or employee of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine or a member of a public formation for the protection of public order and state border").
The border guards emphasized that both 'clients' will have to answer to the law for their attempt to illegally cross the state border. A court will decide their case.
Illegal transportation of men across the border
Recently, in Transcarpathia, the organizers of the illegal transportation of men across the border disguised themselves in police uniforms and used a vehicle with a green stripe resembling that found on armored cash transporters.
The SBGSU noted that the organizers attempted to evade the border guards in such a vehicle but crashed into a concrete pillar, resulting in one person being seriously injured.