Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
Law enforcement officers conducted three dozen searches in different regions of Ukraine.
The Bureau of Economic Security, together with the Office of the Prosecutor General, seized more than 630 million UAH in cash during searches in a case involving a large-scale network of illegal currency exchange offices. BEB head Olexander Tsyvinsky (Oleksandr Tsyvinskyi) noted that the network had been operating in the shadows for years and tens of billions of hryvnias passed through it annually. He added that this is the largest seizure in BEB’s history.
The Office of the Prosecutor General clarified that the offenders conducted financial transactions without the necessary authorization documents. Consequently, the income was not reflected in accounting and tax records. The network operated in premises of unlicensed currency exchange points under a well-known brand. A cover as exchange offices also served to convert cash into digital assets in violation of established requirements.
“In the framework of criminal proceedings, more than 30 searches were conducted in 16 regions of Ukraine. Law enforcement officers seized cash in various currencies, including Russian rubles, totaling more than 630 million UAH in the hryvnia equivalent. Documents confirming the lawful origin and proper accounting of these funds were not provided during investigative actions,” the Office of the Prosecutor General stated.
A few months ago it was reported that after BEB’s investigation, the business underwent an audit and changed its operating model, notably abandoning tax optimization through the simplified tax system via private entrepreneurs. This was announced by the electronics retailer chain “Yarko” (Yabko) and by the grocery store networks “Marketopt” and “Oltovychok”.
At the same time, the Verkhovna Rada is demanding results from the Bureau of Economic Security. It is claimed that some Ukrainian retail chains continue to use schemes to minimize taxes, despite company statements that such practices have been stopped. In particular, attention is drawn to the “Marketopt” network.
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