Ukrainian sailors are accused of smuggling oil from Serbia

Last week in Serbia, law enforcement officers discovered a vessel with a Ukrainian crew that was trying to illegally export more than 12 tons of oil from the country.

On March 25, at the Veliko Hradište crossing point (at the mouth of the Danube between Romania and Serbia), a ship flying the Austrian flag was detained during customs control.

The vessel was staffed by a Ukrainian crew who, according to the Serbian Customs Administration, tried to illegally export 12,650 liters of oil (almost 80 barrels) from the country. Contraband oil was hidden in tanks that were supposed to contain water.

“It was found that the so-called ballast tanks were filled with more than 12 tons of oil, although they should have contained water to maintain the balance and stability of the ship,” the department said.

After fixing the offense, the Serbian court passed a special decision, according to which the violators must pay more than 3 million dinars (25.6 thousand euros) to the country’s budget. This amount includes the cost of smuggling and a fine.

The Serbian customs officials do not specify the further fate of the ship and sailors.