Organized group smuggled over 4.7 tonnes of Ukrainian amber abroad disguised as Lithuanian – Prosecutor General's Office
Under the procedural guidance of prosecutors from the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, a notice of suspicion has been served to the organizer and three members of an organized group who allegedly set up the illegal export of Ukrainian amber disguised as stone of Lithuanian origin.
A Ukrainian environmental prosecutor's office has accused an organized group of smuggling over 4.7 tonnes of Ukrainian amber abroad, fraudulently claiming it was of Lithuanian origin. The Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office served a notice of suspicion to the group's organizer and three members. To legitimize the amber's source, the criminals utilized companies in both Ukraine and Lithuania.
In April 2026, 5.9 tonnes of mainly small amber, along with dust and sand, were imported from Lithuania to Ukraine, though the documents claimed far greater quantities. The investigation revealed inconsistencies in the import process, including the absence of drivers and the Lithuanian company's director in Lithuania, and the Lithuanian company's failure to fulfill payments under contract.
The illegally mined amber was later sorted, weighed, and packaged for export in warehouses across various Ukrainian regions. Export documents falsely labeled the amber as originating from Lithuania. Between April and June 2026, more than 4.7 tonnes of the amber, valued at around UAH 10.7 million, were moved abroad using this scheme.
Over 20 searches were conducted as authorities documented the group's activities. Four individuals have been accused of smuggling goods while in official positions within the organized group, a violation detailed in Part 3 of Article 201-3 of Ukraine's Criminal Code.
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