Position: Chief State Auditor-Inspector of Lviv Customs.
Sphere of corruption: customs.
Region of corruption activity: Lviv region.
Qualification: actions are qualified under Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Status: at large.
The plot of the case: in the spring of 2025, the State Bureau of Investigation reported suspicions of a Lviv customs officer who allowed the export of almost $200,000 without declaring it. This is Taras Dilay, the chief state auditor-inspector of Lviv Customs, who was detained for taking a bribe at the Nyzhankovychi-Malkhovice checkpoint.
According to the investigation, the customs officer demanded a bribe of 3% of the amount the citizen planned to take to Poland. In return, he promised unhindered border crossing without the mandatory declaration of cash.
In March-April 2024, the customs officer let this man through three times: first with $90,000, then twice with $50,000. In total, the defendant received $5,700 for "turning a blind eye."
According to the regional prosecutor's office and the State Bureau of Investigation, the inspector was detained while receiving another portion of the illegal benefit - $1,500. During the detention, he tried to prevent the withdrawal of the received bribe.
The customs officer was informed of suspicion of bribery combined with its extortion (Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanction of the article provides for up to 10 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property. The court chose a preventive measure for the suspect in the form of detention with the alternative of posting bail. A petition was also filed to remove him from office. Investigators are identifying all those involved in the criminal scheme.
Later, Dilay was released from pretrial detention on a 500,000 UAH bail. The customs officer was also suspended from his position for two months.
Persons potentially involved in corruption schemes: Open sources do not know about Delay's possible accomplices.
Assets: for 2024, Taras Dilay declared over 1 million UAH of income, of which about 480 thousand UAH was his salary at customs, and his wife Natalia Dilay, who works at the Galnaftogaz Concern, earned over 600 thousand UAH.
Taras Dilay keeps 30 thousand dollars and 600 thousand UAH in cash, another 40 thousand dollars, 10 thousand euros and 690 thousand UAH in cash are kept by his wife.
Natalia Dilay also owns two land plots and a summer house in Pidryasne, and also owns a land plot in the village of Lyubeshka, Bibr community. Taras Dilay, together with two relatives, is a co-owner of an apartment with an area of over 43 m2 in Lviv.
The customs officer indicated in the declaration a 2014 Jeep Cherokee SUV registered to his wife, which was purchased in 2020.
Persons who should have reacted: law enforcement agencies responded in a timely manner to Taras Dilay's criminal activities.
Scandals: Before the corruption scheme, Taras Dilay was not seen as a figure in other scandals.
Sources:
https://zaxid.net/na_habari_zatrimali_lvivskogo_mitnika_n1607486
https://public.nazk.gov.ua/documents/54a4b009-b1fd-4863-8735-c0380c0e4734