Odesa residents organized interregional scheme for selling forged documents

SBU successfully dismantled an underground "passport desk" involved in producing counterfeit documents for the legalization of foreigners in Ukraine and the EU. The operation resulted in the apprehension of the mastermind behind the scheme and eight of his accomplices in Vinnytsia, Lviv, Odessa, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions. Among those arrested was a former official from the disbanded police force.

The criminals were offering their clients fake passports, temporary residency permits in Ukraine, and driver's licenses. The cost of these forged documents ranged from 8,000 to 14,000 hryvnias per "document," depending on the type and urgency of delivery. With hundreds of "orders" received each month, the operation was generating profits of up to 6 million hryvnias.

This successful operation is a significant step in combating illegal document forgery and addressing concerns related to the illegal entry and residence of foreigners in Ukraine and the European Union.

According to available information, among the main clients of this illegal "service" were also foreigners who sought to legalize themselves in Ukraine or travel to the European Union using fake documents.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the illegal operation was organized by several individuals from Odessa. They set up the clandestine workshop in a rented apartment in Lviv city center with the help of their accomplices.

To attract clients, they created a "promotional" page on Instagram, where they offered their list of illegal "services," including providing counterfeit documents.

This case highlights the significant risks and challenges associated with document forgery and illegal migration. The authorities' successful efforts to dismantle this operation will likely deter others from engaging in similar illegal activities and help maintain the integrity of document verification processes for individuals seeking legitimate residence or travel permits.

The illegal operation involved selling a fake ID card of a Ukrainian citizen for an average price of 11,000 hryvnias.

To distribute their finished "products" across different regions, the criminals used their network of accomplices who would further forward them to the specified postal addresses of the "clients."

The criminals managed to handle relatively large volumes of counterfeit documents in one shipment, with an average size of an "optimal wholesale batch" ranging from 100 to 500 fake IDs destined for a particular region.

These numbers indicate the scale of the illegal activity and the extent to which the criminals were able to produce and distribute forged documents. Such operations pose significant risks to public safety, security, and the integrity of official documentation processes. The successful dismantling of this operation by the authorities is essential in combating document forgery and related criminal activities.

Based on the evidence gathered, all the individuals involved in the illegal activity have been formally charged under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

As a preventive measure, the court has decided to detain some of them in custody, while others have been placed under 24-hour house arrest. The investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances surrounding the crime. If found guilty, the criminals could face up to 10 years in prison, along with the confiscation of their property.

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