The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) on Wednesday conducted raids and other procedural actions in Odesa region to investigate into a criminal case on the possible embezzlement of around UAH 100 million by officials of state-owned enterprise (SOE) Yuzhny maritime merchandise port.

"Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine jointly with the SAPO [Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office] prosecutors conducted raids and other procedural actions in Odesa region as part of the investigation into the criminal proceeding in connection with the possible embezzlement by officials of the SOE Yuzhny maritime merchandise port o under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (misappropriation, embezzlement or conversion or property by malversation)," the press service of NABU told Interfax-Ukraine.

According to the investigators, officials of this state-owned enterprise, through preliminary collusion with officials of a number of economic entities through controlled intermediary firms, organized a series of purchases at overvalued prices for goods, works and services at the expense of the SOE during 2017-2018.

As a result, the NABU detectives consider, the officials of the SOE could seize the company's cash assets in the amount of about UAH 100 million.

The investigation of these facts has been carried out by the NABU detectives since September 2017, the bureau said.