News

HACC closed the case of the “smuggling king” Vadym Alperin

Author:
Anna Kholodnova
Date:

On Thursday, October 12, the Higher Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) decided to close the criminal proceedings against Odesa businessman Vadym Alperin, who was called the "king of smuggling".

This was reported by the Anti-Corruption Center.

The decision was made by HACC judges Oleksiy Kravchuk, Yevhen Kruk and Inna Bilous. The full text will be declared on October 17. The defense side used the so-called "Lozovyi amendments". The lawyers insisted that this case should be closed, because the investigation period was allegedly extended by an unauthorized entity.

What are the "Lozovyi amendments"?

In October 2017, the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian Parliament) adopted changes to a number of codes, thereby launching judicial reform. The amendment of the then MP Andriy Lozovyi (Oleh Lyashkoʼs radical party) proposed to change a number of articles of the Criminal Procedure Code, in particular, on the mandatory sanction of the court for conducting examinations in criminal proceedings.