A 750-million-hryvnia “deal”: an illegal sand mining scheme has been uncovered
20 April 18:33
The prosecutor’s office has notified individuals of their status as suspects for illegally extracting and transporting 1,300 truckloads of river sand over several consecutive months. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“In the Cherkasy region, sand was illegally extracted on an industrial scale from the bottom of the Dnipro River for several months in a row. Work was carried out simultaneously at several sites, and the sand was then sold,” the prosecutor’s office said.
The Cherkasy Regional Prosecutor’s Office has notified four individuals of their status as suspects. According to the investigation, the scheme was organized by a native of the village of Korobivka, who recruited three other participants to carry out the work.
“From June to October 2024, they extracted sand within the Zolotonosha community—without special permits for subsoil use.”
The work was carried out on six land plots in the Korobivka area using a dredger and other specialized equipment.
“The extracted sand was sold immediately. The subsequent sale of the illegally extracted sand was also documented.”
According to the findings of a forensic engineering and environmental assessment, the total volume of illegally extracted sand amounts to approximately 34,000 cubic meters, which is roughly equivalent to over 1,300 truckloads. The losses incurred by the state are estimated at nearly 750 million hryvnias.
The suspects’ actions have been classified as the large-scale illegal extraction of minerals of local significance, committed by a group of individuals acting in concert, as well as the laundering of proceeds obtained through criminal means.
