Border guards detained a long-distance truck driver from Mykolaiv region who was smuggling illegal immigrants across the border

Arrested illegal immigrants and a truck driver at the border. Photo: SBGS

In Odesa region, near the border with Moldova, two men of conscription age who were trying to illegally leave Ukraine by hiding in the cabin of a truck were detained.

This was reported by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. 

The men decided to use the services of a carrier from Mykolaiv region, whom they found through an advertisement in a messenger application.

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The cost of this journey ranged from 2700 to 3400 US dollars with an advance payment of 100 dollars, depending on the comfort and final destination of the route. Passengers were supposed to pay the rest of the amount on the territory of Moldova.

The carrier met with the clients in Odesa at a pre-arranged location. At first, the men were placed in the driver's cabin, and then, when leaving the city, they took their respective places according to their «purchased tickets»: one on the upper bunk, the other in the laundry box.

«Having operational information about the route of the truck with two illegal passengers, border guards stopped the vehicle for inspection, which was moving towards the border. During the inspection of the truck, the military personnel immediately identified all participants in the «tour» This became the end point of their journey,» the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported.

Now the driver-smuggler faces criminal liability, while his passengers face administrative penalties.

It should be reminded that in January of this year, employees of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine detained men who were trying to flee from Ukraine.

In Zakarpattia near the Tisa River, border guards detained two minors and two men with inflatable swimming rings.

And at the border with Romania, 10 men were detained who were also attempting to illegally cross the state border.