In the context of the prohibition for men aged 18-60 to leave Ukraine under martial law, the processes of irregular migration on the green sector of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border have intensified.
The process of border security monitoring, carried out in partnership with the Security Service of Ukraine, helped the SIS officers jointly with the representatives of the National Anticorruption Center and the Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office to annihilate a cross-border criminal group specialized in irregular migration and to catch 3 members in the act of transferring money. The criminal group was organized in a hierarchy, where each member had a well-defined role. Also, authorities established the complicity of several public servants from the Republic of Moldova.
According to victims of the chain and documented information, the persons involved in the illegal activity allegedly demanded taxes ranging between $3,500 and $10,000 to facilitate the illegal crossing of the state border. The victims requested services via messaging platforms, where they negotiated the route, the amounts of money to be paid, and details about the departure point. At the beginning of the route, victims paid a part of the agreed price and the rest had to be paid in the Republic of Moldova.
The SIS warns that the security situation in the region is monitored by special services of the neighboring countries in order to prevent individuals suspected of serious and particularly serious crimes, those affiliated to various organized criminal groups and other undesirable elements to enter the country. The SIS jointly with the partners will use all the specific methods to secure the national security and to deter the activity of irregular migration channels.