Prevention of offenses in the agro-industrial complex

In connection with the 2019 harvesting campaign in the Republic of Belarus, including the Postavy district, the internal affairs bodies have organized and are conducting targeted work to prevent theft and ensure the safety of inventory items at agricultural facilities.

To assist the heads of agricultural organizations in maintaining public order, preventing drunkenness at work, organizing security guard operations, monitoring the elimination of identified shortcomings, and conducting appropriate preventive work, mobile groups are organized daily. These groups monitor the organization of property protection at all storage facilities for inventory items, inspect storage areas for grain, meat and dairy products, pesticides, fuels and lubricants, as well as the technical security of these areas, existing fire safety measures, protection against criminal encroachments, and the provision of security guards.

One of the main factors contributing to offenses and potential accidents is alcohol abuse, especially by employees at their workplaces. It should be noted that employees of the agro-industrial complex found at their workplace during working hours in a state of alcoholic intoxication face administrative liability under Part 2 of Article 17.3 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Republic of Belarus, with a fine ranging from 1 to 10 basic units. If committed repeatedly within one year after the imposition of an administrative penalty for similar violations, offenders may be subject to administrative liability under Part 3 of Article 17.3 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Republic of Belarus and fined from 2 to 15 basic units or subjected to administrative arrest.

Acts of theft of inventory items entail both criminal and administrative liability, depending on the amount of damage caused. Criminally punishable acts are subject to penalties in the form of community service, or a fine, or correctional labor for up to two years, or arrest, or restriction of liberty for up to three years, or imprisonment for the same term. Theft committed repeatedly, or by a group of persons, or with illegal entry into a dwelling, is punishable by a fine, or correctional labor for up to two years, or arrest, or restriction of liberty for up to four years, or imprisonment for the same term. For large-scale theft, punishment may include imprisonment for two to seven years with or without a fine. And for theft committed by an organized group or on an especially large scale, the criminal code provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment for three to twelve years with a fine.

In case of minor theft of inventory items, the person who committed the act may be held administratively liable under Part 1 of Article 10.5 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Republic of Belarus and fined from 2 to 30 basic units or subjected to administrative arrest. If committed repeatedly within one year after the imposition of an administrative penalty for similar violations, offenders may be subject to administrative liability under Part 2 of Article 10.5 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Republic of Belarus and fined from 30 to 50 basic units or subjected to administrative arrest.

An important issue is the theft of fuels and lubricants. It should be noted that Article 12.30 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Republic of Belarus (Illegal circulation of petroleum liquid fuel in the Republic of Belarus), namely Part 3, provides for liability for transporting more than one hundred liters of petroleum liquid fuel (automotive gasoline, diesel and domestic fuel of all grades) across the territory of the Republic of Belarus in excess of the amount contained in the factory-installed fuel tanks of vehicles used for its transportation, in the form of a fine of up to 50 basic units with confiscation of the fuel exceeding the permissible amount for transportation across the territory of the Republic of Belarus, or without confiscation. Part 6 of Article 12.30 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Republic of Belarus provides for administrative liability for the acquisition, storage, use, or sale by individuals of colored petroleum liquid fuel, supplied in the established manner to organizations engaged in agricultural production, in the form of a fine ranging from 10 to 50 basic units.

To prevent deaths and injuries during harvesting operations, the Internal Affairs Department of the Postavy District Executive Committee reminds that persons not involved in harvesting operations are not allowed to be in the fields during their conduct.

Dear citizens! If you have information about facts of theft of inventory items from agricultural facilities, please report it to the Internal Affairs Department of the Postavy District Executive Committee by phone: 102, 41202 (24/7). Anonymity is guaranteed.

Deputy Head of the Internal Affairs Department of the Postavy District Executive Committee –
Head of Public Security Police
A.G. Myadelko