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The Bureau of Economic Security jeopardizes the existence of dozens of businesses operating in the Odesa Port – Investigation by 1+1
Since December 19, the Bureau of Economic Security (BES) has been obstructing the operations of dozens of enterprises conducting their activities in the Odesa Sea Port. In doing so, BES violates several procedural requirements, fails to explain the purpose of its actions, inflicts irreparable damage to the state budget, and brings dozens of companies to the brink of survival.
This was revealed in the investigative report by the "Hapuhy" program on the 1+1 TV channel.
Investigators highlighted the over-a-month-long blockade of Odesa businesses. Companies are facing significant risks of ceasing operations entirely.
"This is a large area where about 600 people work. Today, they cannot go to work or perform their professional duties. I won't appeal to emotions by saying they can't feed their families, but for 20 days, our enterprises have been blocked and unable to conduct business activities. Consequently, the question of when we will stop paying salaries and taxes is just a matter of one or two weeks," stated Oleksandr Pavlenko, director of ATOLLO GRANUM LLC, which operates in the port.
Representatives of the enterprises, featured in the journalists' investigation, showed surveillance footage in which BES detectives, instead of conducting searches, were seen sleeping, browsing social media, or wandering aimlessly.
Attorney Valerii Snitkin remarked: "The premises that interest them are not being inspected. It's paradoxical, but we are insisting on the searches being conducted and the investigative actions being concluded. As we see here, no such actions are being carried out; instead, there is sabotage and the deliberate blocking of the enterprise’s activities."
BES detectives are present at the port based on court rulings issued by investigative judge Tishko D.A. from the Kyiv District Court of Odesa. The first ruling was issued in December, followed by another, although such judicial practice is practically unprecedented. Moreover, BES detectives initially stated they would remain at the port "as long as necessary" and were confident that a new ruling would be issued. Additionally, both the first and second rulings authorized searches but made no mention of asset seizures, which are occurring in practice.
"The ruling granting permission for the search clearly states that it allows a single search. If an investigator entered the premises, performed actions, and left, that’s it—they’ve used their right to conduct the search. Yet, as you can see, at 2 p.m. on a weekday, no investigator is present here," attorney Valerii Snitkin told journalists.
The report showed how 1+1 journalists reached out to the BES Territorial Administration and the investigator, but all officials refused to communicate with the media. It was also noted that the companies had sent complaints in December to the Office of the President, the Prosecutor General's Office, the BES of Ukraine, the SBI of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Business Support Council but received no response.
The investigation raised suspicions among entrepreneurs that law enforcement agencies, including BES, might be colluding with the investment fund Argentem Creek Partners, effectively making them participants in a raiding operation and an information campaign against the Ukrainian agricultural holding GNT Group, which also operates in the Odesa Port. However, Sunolta, the owner of ATOLLO GRANUM LLC, which is the subject of the search warrant, has no connection to GNT Group.
In early January, representatives of companies operating in the Odesa Port held a major press conference at Interfax to address the blockade of their activities, emphasizing that each company incurs daily losses of up to 750,000 UAH. Such financial losses directly impact their ability to pay taxes to the state budget and salaries to their employees.