Black money, government schemes, and corruption. What is Lviv’s chief customs officer Yevhen Safonov really doing?

Black money, government schemes, and corruption. What is Lviv’s chief customs officer Yevhen Safonov really doing?

Acting head of the Lviv Customs of the State Fiscal Service Yevhen Safonov is engaged in illegal activity. This notorious individual is not new to such a position and is enriching himself again at the expense of Ukrainians.

He was given the chair and promised a similar position in the new structure in return for a “service” to high-ranking officials, namely to Acting Head of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine Denys Hutenko and Head of the State Customs Service Maksym Nefyodov. For three months these two officials persuaded Safonov to organize and open an “auto hub” in Lviv. The land for it, several hectares, has already been purchased near the Lviv Arena stadium. Everything was registered to a relative of Nefyodov (the husband of his wife’s sister – Andriy Dulyk), who illegally imports expensive cars from abroad (from 1500 to 2000 cars per month).

Andriy Bohdanovych Dulyk, formerly an officer in the department for uncovering criminal offenses in the customs sphere in Lviv region, realized in time that catching smuggling is not as profitable as leading it, and therefore, with Yevhen Safonov’s support, is trying to become the “top man in the area” and shut off supplies to other companies, thereby monopolizing the sector in the country.

At present Safonov personally controls the entry of every car carrier into Ukraine. And he reports daily by SMS to Nefyodov. It turns out that if you want to be a manager, you must control and facilitate someone’s business. Safonov, for his part, appointed a person responsible for collecting funds (the “black cash”). This is the brother of People’s Deputy from BPP Y. M. Makedon – deputy head of the Lviv customs Pavlo Mykolayovych Makedon, who was also promised transfer to the new structure.

Pavlo Makedon

So what is happening at the Lviv customs? At Safonov’s direction, rotations were introduced between heads of customs clearance departments at the border and ordinary inspector staff. Returning to previous positions is allowed for a fee from $3000 to $5000. The transfer of funds is carried out through the deputy head of customs who coordinates the work of customs posts, namely Pavlo Makedon.

Safonov constantly conducts inexplicable testing of customs personnel for reasons unknown to anyone on knowledge often incompatible with their positions. But the computer automatically assigns a pre-programmed grade — “unsatisfactory.” Retaking such a test later costs $100. The money is collected by the head of the HR department, Yevhen Larin.

Personnel appointments and transfers to the customs from other government bodies cost $5000-10000$, depending on the workplace.

In addition, Safonov organized collection of money from every truck carrying vegetables and fruits ($200-300$ per truck). Otherwise—the cargo is “held back,” clearance is artificially blocked. He also organized smuggling of food products brought in in smaller batches at the Uhryniv post, where Safonov appointed his shift managers. By the way, he “installed” his own people on the second day after starting work.

But these are not all of Safonov’s illegal schemes in the Lviv region. For his own enrichment he enables criminals to operate. This concerns the “Elephants” team overseen by the well-known smuggler Kushnir. LLC “Poli Resurs” (EDRPOU: 42945155) lets Turkish goods through disguised as Chinese. Safonov and Kushnir developed business relations back when they worked at the Chernivtsi customs, where he served as deputy head of customs and was the main curator of so-called “program firms” that imported Turkish goods under the guise of building materials.

Safonov also organized a scheme to minimize payment of duties in the Sknyliv customs clearance department for vehicle clearance. From each processed declaration they demand $300. The person responsible for this scheme is unit head Andriy Boytsun, who collects the funds and, through the post curator, passes them on to P. Makedon. In addition, several subjects from Kyiv have been sent to Lviv to follow Safonov from region to region. They have privileged status when clearing goods with undervalued customs worth.

The acting head of customs, together with the head of the disciplinary commission Stanislav Sokha, routinely open disciplinary proceedings without grounds and suspend those whose positions are intended for new personnel. They close these proceedings in 6 months and upon receipt of a bribe ranging from $5000 to $10000. Since Safonov’s arrival, more than 50 such disciplinary proceedings have been opened.

Safonov and his subordinates are completely sabotaging and blocking the launch of the recently built Rapiscan systems. They have been ready to operate for over a year, yet customs leadership is not interested in using them. Several postal operators have been “invited” to the Lviv customs who send international shipments of expensive equipment without paying the proper fees at the Lviv Postal customs post. The customs head, through the post chief, blocks others’ access to these parcels. Safonov removed one of the shifts at the Rava-Ruska post that refused to let branded smuggled goods through. Those shift workers are now forced to seek protection in court and from law enforcement agencies.

And the list of Safonov’s illicit actions does not end there. He put the anti-smuggling unit into “manual control,” which exerts artificial pressure on business with the further goal of “acquainting” with subjects. Boasting of “good” relations with Nefyodov, Safonov, using threats and dismissals, and by promising later non-transfer to the new structure, forces post managers to submit requests for long-term leave or to open sick leave. If they refuse, he threatens to forcibly send dissenting people to monthly courses at the Khmelnytskyi Training Center. By the way, a list of “dissenters” who refused to follow his illegal orders has already been sent to Khmelnytskyi.

Moreover, Yevhen Safonov has already provided Hutenko with a list of about 10 notorious individuals who are to arrive to “help” Safonov carry out Nefyodov’s tasks of collecting funds and transferring them to Lviv Square, 8.

In addition, Safonov closed a disciplinary proceeding and returned to work a notorious customs officer and bribe-taker who allowed 25 kg of gold to be smuggled through Lviv International Airport. Recall, SBU officers detained a citizen who attempted, with the assistance of customs officers, to transport gold from Turkey. And if Serhiy Kyslovskyi had not pushed him out of the customs control zone, the service officers would have managed to detain him. Currently the acting head of Lviv customs closed the disciplinary case against that customs officer, reinstated him, and continues to boast of his friendship with him.

Insider information also revealed that Safonov is planning a short vacation. He coordinated this matter in advance with leadership, but who will continue to run his schemes and the “landing party” he plans to bring is unknown. It is also unclear who is entrusted with the duties of the customs head, since his business trip ends on 11 October.

To be continued…

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