Polish prosecutors investigate 75 companies over fraud with Ukrainian grain
Investigators believe that dozens of companies imported thousands of tonnes of Ukrainian grain to Poland by concealing its origin and destination.
Source: Polish media outlet Rzeczpospolita citing the Rzeszow Prosecutor's Office
Details: The criminal proceedings in the case of fraud with Ukrainian grain in Poland involve 75 companies. Seventeen people have already been suspected.
"The companies registered in Poland are under investigation. There are no Ukrainian companies among them. The suspects in the investigation are mostly Polish citizens, but there are also Ukrainian citizens and an Estonian citizen," said prosecutor's office spokesperson Dorota Sokołowska-Mach.
It is believed that these companies imported thousands of tonnes of grain to Poland by concealing its origin and destination. Technical grain can be used, for example, for ethanol production or as a biocomponent for biofuels, but it was sold immediately after being imported for flour production.
The report says that the EU's abolition of duties on imports of agricultural products from Ukraine in 2022 led to uncontrolled imports of cheap grain and rapeseed to Poland after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The goods were bought by intermediaries right at the border and sold in Poland as Polish goods.
Background:
- Ukraine and Slovakia agreed to work on lifting unilateral restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products as soon as possible.
- The flow of grain wagons has shifted from Ukraine's western borders to the south, towards the seaports of Odesa.
- In February, Ukraine's state budget lost UAH 7.7 billion (US$187 million) in customs revenues due to the Polish border blockade.
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