Bangladesh, Oct. 2 -- Ukraines anti-corruption agencies have sent a high-profile $7 million customs fraud case to court, marking one of the most significant prosecutions of systemic corruption inside the countrys customs service. The case shines a spotlight on how entrenched criminal networks inside government institutions continue to drain state coffers, even as the country faces immense financial strain from war and relies heavily on foreign aid.

The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office (SAP) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) revealed that the criminal group operated within the Chernivtsi Customs Office, located near Ukraines southwestern border with Romania. Investigators described the operation as a ...