More than 12 million hryvnias in socks were seized at the border with Turkey.
Customs officials in Odesa discovered and seized an attempt to export over $270,000 USD and €500 from Ukraine to Turkey, which were hidden in secret compartments of a Mercedes-Benz minibus. The money was packaged in socks and hidden in the floor, under the hood, and in the headlights of the vehicle.
Customs officials in Odesa discovered and detained an attempt to illegally export over $270,000 USD and 500 euros from Ukraine to Turkey. The incident occurred at the "Orlovka" border crossing.
During a check of the Mercedes minibus using scanning, anomalies were detected in the vehicle's structural cavities. Further inspection, conducted with the participation of SBU employees, revealed specially designed hidden compartments containing cash.
The bundles of money were found in the thresholds beneath the front doors, as well as in hard-to-reach places under the hood, specifically in the location of the cabin air filter, and inside the car's body panels. The banknotes were packaged in black socks, polyethylene bags, and wrapped in tape. Retrieving the money required partially disassembling the vehicle.
The total amount of withdrawn funds amounted to $270,400 USD and 500 euros, which were not declared. The money and minibus were seized, and a protocol was drawn up against the driver for violating customs regulations. The relevant authorities were informed about the discovered fact, as the driver's actions appear to constitute a crime under Article 201-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.