The key facts
- Five suspects in Operation Carthage have been notified of suspicion; according to NABU, the organization included at least 12 people in total
- Among the suspects are the first deputy head of a Security Service department, the head of a National Police department, and the deputy head of the criminal investigation unit in Kyiv region
- Earlier, amid the investigation, Security Service head Oleksandr Poklad dismissed two high-ranking officials of the service
Five suspects formally notified of suspicion
In Ukraine, five members of an alleged criminal organization that included high-ranking law enforcement officials have been formally notified of suspicion as part of Operation Carthage. This was reported by Interfax-Ukraine, citing the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). The suspects are linked to a bribery system that provided protection for fraudulent call centers and other illegal businesses.
Who is among the suspects
According to the investigation, the suspects include the first deputy head of one of the Security Service of Ukraine's departments, the head of a National Police department, the deputy head of the criminal investigation unit in Kyiv region, the alleged organizer of the group, and one of his subordinates. The organizer of the scheme is said to be a man with multiple prior convictions who managed to involve representatives of the Security Service, the National Police, and the Prosecutor General's Office in his activities.
What the investigation's version says
According to the investigation, members of the organization systematically handed money to influential law enforcement officials, who in turn shielded the illegal business from inspections and criminal prosecution. Under this cover, detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) claim, fraudulent call centers operated, deceiving Ukrainians and foreigners. In addition, the group is believed to have been involved in drug trafficking, the production of counterfeit cigarettes, and fake foreign currency. The investigation also links members of the organization to assaults, abductions, and infliction of bodily harm.
The scale of the case and earlier personnel decisions
In total, according to preliminary NABU data, the criminal organization included at least 12 people; five of them have now been officially notified of suspicion under articles related to participation in a criminal organization, corruption, and other alleged crimes. Earlier, Life.ru reported the dismissal of two high-ranking Security Service officials in connection with this investigation: the head of the service, Oleksandr Poklad, made the personnel decision after NABU detectives uncovered the alleged scheme to protect fraudulent call centers. Thus, the notification of suspicion to five suspects is a new step in an investigation that has already had personnel consequences within the Security Service.
