Ukrainian sailors were recruited to transport illegal immigrants to the EU

The activities of an international crime group were detected in the Nikolay region in the south of the country. The trial was organised by a Ukrainian citizen along with his partner from Turkey – Ukrainian services claim.

In particular, residents of the southern regions of Ukraine were recruited, who had problems with documents concerning the profession of seafarers. They were promised a well - paid job on long - distance ships. They were paid $3,000 in advance.

Later, it turned out that sailors were the workplace vessels, which transported illegal immigrants from Central Asia to the EU.

"For such offences, up to 20 years' imprisonment is foreseen in EU countries. And some Ukrainian sailors received great prison sentences instead of great earnings," SBU writes. According to her, at least five people went to prison in the EU.

According to investigators, the recruiting group of sailors consisted of at least six people. For one recruited person, the organiser in Ukraine received 7 thousand dollars from his partner, including 3 thousand was spent on advance payments.

SBU stopped one of the organizers and his associate. They were informed of the possibility of committing a crime provided for by the article on trafficking in human beings. Two "recruited" officers stopped them from going abroad at the airport.

Written by Natalia Dziurdzińska/PAP