Under the procedural guidance of the Transcarpathian Regional Prosecutor's Office, a customs official has been exposed for organizing a scheme for the illegal importation of elite watches into Ukraine without paying mandatory customs duties in exchange for receiving unlawful benefits.

The detained individual is the acting head of the internal control department of the Transcarpathian customs.

According to the investigation, in November-December 2025, the official established a channel for the illegal transportation of elite watches, including those produced in Switzerland, across the Ukrainian-Hungarian border. The goods were declared as personal belongings or transported among other items to avoid customs control and tax payments.

The importation was carried out on predetermined days through various customs posts and was monitored by the official himself or individuals under his control. One of the conditions for "unimpeded" border crossing was the payment of 5% of the value of the goods.

In the first episode, the suspect involved his own wife, who imported two watches with a total value of over 22,000 USD. For this, the official received 1,100 USD in unlawful benefits. During subsequent trips, the customs officer personally transported part of the goods.

In total, the illegal importation of watches with a total value of over 3.2 million UAH has been documented. For the provided "services," the official received a total of 3,850 USD.

On January 1, 2026, he was detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine immediately after receiving part of the unlawful benefit amounting to 2,750 USD for the importation of four watches. He has been notified of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (receipt of unlawful benefits by a public official occupying a responsible position).

The prosecutor's office has applied to the court for a preventive measure in the form of detention and the suspension of the suspect from his position.

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

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a guilty verdict of the court.