Solomianskyi court confiscates 18 drone batteries disguised as plastic parts

Customs officers uncover scheme to hide equipment

In May 2026, during an inspection of postal shipments from China, customs officers discovered a series of nine parcels. All shipments arrived from a single sender to the address of a single recipient. The CN 22 customs declarations stated that the contents were plastic photo clips weighing 0.03 kg, valued at $7 per unit.

However, a physical inspection of the cargo revealed significant discrepancies. Instead of simple plastic parts, each of the nine boxes contained two new DJI Matrice 4 Series intelligent battery packs in factory packaging. A total of 18 batteries were found, with a combined value of UAH 142,435.80.

Legal consequences of false declaration

The sender's actions were qualified under Part 1 of Article 473 of the Customs Code of Ukraine. This article provides for liability for the dispatch of goods in international postal shipments if their name, quantity, or presence does not match the data in the declaration.

The court concluded that the false completion of documents was a deliberate attempt to conceal the true contents and value of the goods. Furthermore, according to the court's assessment, the number of batteries found exceeded the limits necessary for personal use.

Court ruling on confiscation and fine

On 25 September 2026, the Solomianskyi District Court of Kyiv issued a ruling in case No. 760/26313/26. The court found the sender guilty of violating customs rules.

According to the ruling, all 18 batteries were confiscated in favour of the state. The offender was fined 30% of the value of the confiscated property, amounting to UAH 42,730.74. Additionally, a court fee of UAH 665.60 was levied on the guilty party.