According to the investigation, in the fall of 2025, a border guard inspector made an agreement with a local resident for cooperation: for 500 USD, he promised to provide service information about when and where there are no patrols at the border to ensure the safe smuggling of contraband cigarettes. The illegal goods were planned to be launched into Poland using drones and dropped in the forest area outside Ukraine. Due to the difference in excise taxes, the organizers could earn over 120% profit.

The inspector himself received 1,000 USD. During the transfer of the second part of the money, he was detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

Under the procedural guidance of the Volyn Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the field of defense of the Western region, the border guard was notified of suspicion for extortion and receiving illegal benefits by a public official (part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). 

Prosecutors filed a motion in court for the selection of a preventive measure in the form of detention and removal from office duties. The investigation is ongoing to establish the full circle of potentially involved persons. 

The pre-trial investigation is conducted by the Lviv Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigation, with operational support from the Department of Border Guard Service of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine in the Volyn region.

Note: according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a guilty verdict of the court.