Detectives from the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) have seized a large consignment of Apple electronics and other global brand products from an eStore outlet located in the Globus shopping center on Independence Square. According to investigators, the scheme’s operators smuggled equipment into Ukraine past customs control and sold it without paying taxes, resulting in state losses exceeding 18.36 million UAH in unpaid VAT.
According to court filings, electronic goods were imported into Ukraine bypassing customs regulations and subsequently sold via an online shop and the physical retail store in central Kyiv. Sales revenue was completely omitted from tax reports.
To create the illusion of legitimate trade, the organizers used the corporate details of Technodrom Plus LLC, registered in the Fastiv district. Over the 2023–2024 period, the entity failed to issue or register tax invoices for transactions totaling 110.15 million UAH.
On paper, the company formally imported minor items such as hair accessories, suitcases, toys, and lamps. Meanwhile, internal tax records listed transactions for electric vehicles, generators, quadcopters, and industrial equipment. Investigators documented fictitious paper transactions worth tens of millions of hryvnias with several counterparties without any actual delivery of goods.
In April 2026, law enforcement interrogated the company’s nominal management. The newly appointed director stated he never conducted any business operations and had submitted a resignation request. The founder admitted under oath that he registered the firm for financial compensation and handed over all corporate documents to unidentified third parties.
Surveillance operations led investigators to an unofficial warehouse on Nazarivska Street, where contraband electronics and shadow accounting books were stored. Stock was regularly transported from this warehouse to the eStore point in Globus Mall. Customers paying via bank cards were charged an extra 5% fee.
During the search at the retail location, officers seized financial logs, workplace laptops, and a substantial inventory of brand-new items lacking documentation of origin:
47 iPhone handsets (including an iPhone 14 Pro missing a serial number);
31 pairs of AirPods (AirPods 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Max);
MacBook laptops, iPad tablets, and Apple Watches;
Third-party electronics: Whoop fitness bands, Dyson appliances, Ray-Ban smart glasses, Marshall speakers, and Samsung smartphones.
The pre-trial investigation remains ongoing to bring all involved parties to justice.