Illegal Sand Extraction in Odesa Region: New Developments
Prosecutors from the Odesa Regional Prosecutor's Office have submitted an indictment to the court against members of an organized crime group involved in the illegal extraction of sand near the village of Bessarabskoye in the Bolgrad district. The area of the quarry where the illegal extraction took place spans 67 hectares.
They are charged with illegal extraction of locally significant minerals and legalization (money laundering) of property obtained through criminal means (Part 4 of Article 240, Parts 1 and 2 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The investigation revealed that group members organized illegal sand extraction without any permits, using heavy machinery, and subsequently sold the sand as a legitimate product.
They sold the minerals through trusted buyers and at construction markets, creating the illusion of a completely legal business.
The mastermind behind the operation turned out to be a local entrepreneur who dealt in construction materials. He involved two acquaintances who operated the machinery at the quarry and a driver for transporting the sand.
As a result of their illegal actions, the environment suffered damages amounting to nearly 900 thousand UAH.
The perpetrators were arrested in September 2024 during the illegal extraction of minerals.
The preliminary investigation was conducted by detectives of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Odesa region, with operational support from the UCR.
Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a legal manner by a court verdict.
