Bribes were demanded from grain exporters in Odesa

The “services” of State Production and Consumer Service officials cost exporters $0.4 for each ton of grain.

Officials of the State Production and Consumer Service and the Odesa branch were exposed for organizing schemes to extort bribes for the export of grain, the Prosecutor General’s Office reports.

The suspicion was reported to the head of the Central Phytosanitary Laboratory, the former head of the phytosanitary safety department of the State Production and Consumer Service in Odesa region, the deputy head of the Odesa Regional Phytosanitary Laboratory, and three intermediaries.

Officials deliberately indicated that grain products contained quarantine organisms. In this way, they induced exporting companies to bribes.

“Service” for the conclusions of the examination and the subsequent unimpeded obtaining of a phytosanitary certificate for the export of Ukrainian grain cost 0.4 US dollars for each ton of grain.

In total, they managed to earn $45,000 from the scheme.

“In order to hide their illegal actions, the officials involved representatives of fumigation and forwarding companies. The funds were transferred under the guise of payment for non-existent services,” the department explained.

So far, preventive measures have been chosen for four suspects – detention with the possibility of making bail of UAH 5 million for each, two more – round-the-clock house arrest.