Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies expose new criminal organisation as part of Operation Carthage
The Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) have exposed a new criminal organisation as part of Operation Carthage. Its members systematically bribed senior law enforcement officials to ensure that scam call centres and other illegal businesses could operate without interference.
Details: Investigators have established that serving senior officials from the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), the National Police, the Prosecutor General's Office and representatives of the criminal underworld were involved in the alleged criminal activities.
This ensured the uninterrupted operation of call centres that scammed Ukrainian and foreign citizens, the sale of drugs, and the illegal production of counterfeit cigarettes and foreign currency.
The investigators also established that members of the criminal organisation were involved in assaults, abductions and inflicting bodily harm on individuals in the organisation's interests.
The anti-corruption agencies said that at least 12 people were involved in the criminal organisation.
In a video released by NABU and SAPO, a person codenamed "Criminal" is identified as the organisation's founder and leader. Another suspect, codenamed "Mexican", is described by the anti-corruption agencies as the founder and leader of the Khimprom drug cartel.
According to the investigators, "Boxer" and "Pasha" were subordinates of "Criminal" and carried out his instructions. A suspect codenamed "Price" is identified in the video as one of the heads of the National Police's Strategic Investigations Department, who was responsible for providing cover for the call centres.
Another police officer, referred to as "Consultant", was allegedly responsible for security and coordinated certain areas of the organisation's activities. A suspect codenamed "Akim" is identified as an SSU major general who, according to the anti-corruption agencies, provided protection from scrutiny by other service personnel.
Background:
- On 4 November, Ukrainska Pravda sources reported that searches were being carried out at premises of Anton Kravchuk, Head of the SSU's Main Internal Security Directorate, and Oleksandr Kovalchuk, First Deputy Head of Directorate D within the SSU's Department for the Protection of National Statehood.
- The sources said the searches may have been linked to the activities of Andrii Osipov, alias "Criminal", who was previously detained by NABU and SAPO.
- The SSU has confirmed that the anti-corruption agencies searched the premises of several of its employees and said it was "cooperating with the investigative authorities".
- Ukrainska Pravda obtained photos and video footage of searches carried out at the home of General Serhii Duka, First Deputy Head of the Department for the Protection of National Statehood at the SSU.
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