Mobile teams for the prevention and detecting violations of the national customs law will become a component of the reform that will enable to build a system of quality service and to counter corruption at the Ukrainian customs. Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman announced during the ceremony of opening of the Interdepartmental center for the prevention and detecting violations of the national customs law and the launch of the operation of 20 joint mobile groups on Monday.

"We should continue to create a high quality system and ensure that honest business feels high quality of services, while those who are trying to destroy our economy, to underpay in the budget, are answerable and punished immediately. The mobile groups will be only a part of this system", said Volodymyr Groysman.

Today operation of a part of mobile teams that will engage in identifying smuggling at the customs and goods that failed to pass customs clearance procedure have been launched.

"We need a result. I would like that the one who comes and imports goods to Ukraine on a legal basis or exports from Ukraine, could receive the maximum quality service, but anyone who wants to import to Ukraine the smuggled goods, ‘gray’ import, what was not cleared or cleared at a low value, should be punished", urged Volodymyr Groysman, addressing the members of the mobile groups.

The Prime Minister noted that among the top priorities of the Government is to retrofit the Ukrainian customs, which, according to him, today is affected by numerous violations, corruption, smuggling and ‘gray’ imports that destroy the national economy.

The Prime Minister reminded that lately the staff of the Department for fight against violations of customs laws at the Odessa customs had detained 9 transporters of cigarettes with the estimated value of over 100 million hryvnias. "This sum worth 100 million hryvnias should have been undergone customs clearance procedure and be sent to the State budget for financing the army, pensions, wages, road repairs, infrastructure, but they made an attempt to transfer the funds to shadow flows and to the pockets of those who abuses and parasitizes the economy ", noted Volodymyr Groysman.

The Head of Government informed that recently there had been set up the Interregional customs office and the customs officers obliged to introduce the surveillance system to track customs inspection in order to prevent violations and to ensure control by the law enforcement agencies. Moreover, a special mission of the United States to assess the needs in reforming of the Ukrainian customs finalized its activity in Ukraine and in September is due to include propositions how to improve the work of the Ukrainian customs.

The Prime Minister told that in August revenues from the customs had grown by nearly UAH 2 billion. "It proves that we are following an absolutely right path", he said.

"We have the only objective: to revive the national economy, to strengthen the competitiveness of Ukrainian producers. Hence, the customs issue is of extreme importance nowadays", accentuated Volodymyr Groysman.

The Prime Minister wished success and stamina to the staff of the mobile teams for the prevention and detecting violations of the national customs law.

"You have no right to abuse the trust that you received today. Everyone is watching at how effective will be the system and what funds will be transferred to the State budget", summed up Volodymyr Groysman.