Ukrainian customs recorded 7,524 violations worth 2.9 billion UAH in the first eight months of 2026

The State Customs Service of Ukraine has summarized its performance for January–August 2026. Over the eight-month period, customs authorities recorded 7,524 customs rule violations totaling 2.9 billion UAH. Compared with the same period last year, the number of detected violations rose by 17%, indicating sustained pressure on smuggling and illicit channels for moving goods across the state border. This is reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing official data from the service.

Rise in the number of violations and eight-month dynamics

The figure of 7,524 cases over eight months is a record for such a period in recent years. According to analysts, the 17% year-on-year increase is linked both to the strengthening of customs analytical work and the application of a risk-based approach, and to attempts by participants in foreign economic activity to circumvent existing restrictions. In 3,104 cases, customs officers temporarily seized items of violation worth a total of 509 million UAH, which became the basis for further proceedings and court hearings.

What was most often seized: industrial goods lead

The structure of seized property shows a clear priority for industrial goods — worth 354 million UAH, which accounts for more than two-thirds of all seized items. In second place are food products worth 91 million UAH, followed by vehicles — more than 59 million UAH — and, finally, currency worth 6 million UAH. This proportion indicates that the main "vector" of violations falls on industrial raw materials and products, rather than on cash, as is sometimes mistakenly assumed in public discourse.

Fines, recoveries, and cases referred to court

In 732 cases, customs authorities imposed administrative penalties totaling 31 million UAH, and 39 million UAH was recovered into the state budget, including cases from previous periods. A significantly larger volume of work moved into the judicial sphere: 4,651 cases of customs rule violations worth more than 2 billion UAH were referred to court. As a result of hearing the cases, including those opened in previous periods, courts imposed penalties in the form of confiscation of goods and fines worth 10 billion UAH — this is the key financial outcome that shapes the real return from customs work for the budget.

What border control looks like

The practical side of customs work is well visible in photographs from border crossing points: a uniformed inspector leads a service dog on a leash along a vehicle undergoing inspection, while the driver or passenger remains in the cabin with the door open. Such scenes are a standard procedure during selective and full inspections, where the canine service helps detect hidden smuggling shipments. It is precisely these field checks, according to the service, that generate a significant share of the 7,524 recorded violations.

Context: the new Customs Code and taxes on parcels

The eight-month statistics for 2026 are published against the backdrop of important legislative changes. The Verkhovna Rada supported in first reading the draft of a new Customs Code of Ukraine, which is to bring national customs rules into alignment with EU legislation and change a number of procedures for businesses. In parallel, the Rada committee for the third time supported taxation of parcels: upon adoption of the bill, a 20% VAT will be charged on the full value of the goods, starting from the first euro. These initiatives will likely affect the structure of violations and the volume of recoveries in the remaining months of 2026.