Ukraine returned criminal responsibility for smuggling. President Zelensky signed the law

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law on the criminalization of smuggling.

The bill envisages, in particular, a five-fold increase in the threshold of liability for goods smuggling, and a two-fold increase for excise goods. It also proposes criminal liability for smuggling: from January 1, 2024 for excise goods and from July 1, 2024 for the rest of the goods.

Smuggling beyond customs control will be punished with a heavy fine — from 10 000 to 25 000 tax-free minimum incomes of citizens. Repeated smuggling is punishable by 5 to 10 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property, for organized — from 7 to 11 years with confiscation of property.

Detectives of the Bureau of Economic Security will have the right to conduct pre-trial investigations in criminal proceedings after the reboot of the agency.

• Draft law No. 5420 was submitted to the Verkhovna Rada by President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2021. The Parliament adopted it on December 9, 2023. It is important for cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and receiving macro-financial assistance of €1.5 billion from the European Union (EU).