Bureau of Economic Security exposed a group of companies for not paying UAH 30 million in taxes during wheat transshipment

Bureau of Economic Security has exposed a group of companies that US investors accuse of evading UAH 30 million in taxes during the transshipment of wheat.

Detectives from the Main Detective Unit have exposed a group of companies that evaded paying UAH 30 million in income tax, Bureau of Economic Security reported.

The companies specialize in storing and loading agricultural products. They are also part of a holding company that is a resident of the UAE and is also involved in a number of criminal proceedings and court cases regarding non-transparent activities and non-payment of accounts payable to American investment funds.

During the pre-trial investigation, detectives established that the company officials are intentionally understating the tax base. In particular, according to tax reports, the cost of their cargo transshipment services is UAH 200-300 per ton, while the average market cost of similar work in Ukraine is UAH 800.

The difference between the market value of services and that reflected in the company’s tax reporting was transferred to controlled non-resident enterprises. Subsequently, unaccounted profit was returned to the country through illegal cash points.

In this way, in 2023-2024 alone, the holding’s enterprises evaded paying UAH 30 million in income tax.

During authorized searches on the territory of the grain transshipment terminal, detectives seized primary financial and business documentation that had signs of forgery and related to the origin, transshipment and export of agricultural products.

Investigative actions on the territory of the logistics center, grain transshipment terminal and office premises continue. In turn, officials and representatives of the aforementioned companies are in every way opposing the searches, refusing to provide the requested information and documents, blocking the premises and trying to hide material evidence, the Bureau noted.

Currently, a full range of persons involved in illegal activities is being identified, including a known smuggler under sanctions.

In addition, the economic activities of the aforementioned holding and the companies that are part of it and appear in a number of other criminal proceedings and court cases regarding non-transparent activities and non-payment of payables to international funds are being investigated.

It is also known that earlier the High Court of England, in order to prevent the embezzlement of property by foreign investors, issued an order for the worldwide seizure of assets against the actual owners of the holding. However, in order to avoid confiscation, they created another company to re-register production facilities and equipment of the grain terminal and continued illegal activities.

Earlier, USM reported that the Bureau of Economic Security  reported on the fight against “black” exports from the ports of Ukraine.