Employees of the Office of the Security Service of Ukraine in the Odesa region neutralized a criminal group engaged in robberies and kidnappings. The leader – a former policeman – and one of the participants have already been detained, writes Ukrinform.

The Office of the SBU in the Odesa region reported this on Facebook, reports Ukrinform.

“The SBU neutralized an organized criminal group whose members terrorized residents of the region, demanding money from them. According to the investigation, the gang was led by a former policeman. Members of the group kidnapped people, committed violence and systematically took their money. In case of non-payment, they were threatened with physical violence,” the message reads.

Employees of the special service began to act when they received information about the preparation of a robbery in a woman’s apartment in Odesa. The attackers planned to steal a significant amount of money from her, threatening to kill her.

The leader and an active member of the group were detained as a result of operational and investigative actions. They were informed of the charge of committing robbery with the purpose of acquiring property in particularly large quantities. During searches of the home of the accused, law enforcement officers discovered signs of illegal activity.

As Ukrinform also wrote, in the Mykolaiv region, an Internet fraudster who rented out non-existent apartments to forced migrants, defrauding at least 16 families, will be prosecuted.