Poklad Dismisses Two SBU Officials Implicated In Carthage Case

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The SBU announced this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

"Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Oleksandr Poklad has dismissed two senior SBU officials from their posts after they became subjects of a National Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation as part of Operation Carthage," the statement said.

The SBU noted that it is providing full support and assisting with all necessary procedural actions in the criminal proceedings in question.

"The Security Service expects a transparent, objective and impartial investigation. I discussed this, in particular, with the heads of NABU and SAPO [Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office]. We have clear and constructive cooperation. In addition, I am in contact with our colleagues from the special services of partner countries. We are doing everything necessary to ensure that these crimes are also investigated in other jurisdictions. As for the so-called 'Mexican,' who appears in the case, I suggest that he come to Ukraine and surrender to law enforcement. Otherwise, we will find him ourselves, wherever he may be hiding. We have experience in this. The SBU works and will continue to work solely for Ukraine," Poklad said.

Read also: Ukraine's Operation Carthage: NABU, SAPO expose bribery scheme involving senior officials

As reported, NABU detectives uncovered a new criminal organization while investigating the Carthage case concerning the activities of fraudulent call centers.

According to the investigation, the organization was led by a man with multiple prior convictions who recruited serving senior officials from the SBU, the Prosecutor General's Office and the National Police, as well as members of the criminal underworld.

With law enforcement officers providing cover, members of the organization ran fraudulent call centers that swindled Ukrainian and foreign citizens, sold narcotic drugs, and engaged in the illegal production of counterfeit cigarettes and forged foreign currency.

They also organized planned attacks, kidnappings and assaults on behalf of the criminal organization.

At least 12 people were involved, including "Akim" – a senior SBU official with the rank of major general who provided protection from scrutiny by his colleagues in the security service.

A video released by NABU says the criminal organization controlled at least 52 call centers in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk. In exchange for protection for one call center, its operators paid $7,000 a month to a law enforcement officer and members of the criminal underworld. The money was transferred to a crypto wallet.

Photo: Volodymyr Zelensky / Facebook

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