Illegal Amber Mining
Deposits of unique amber in Ukraine are decreasing. Amber mining became a business for the local population in the hard times of Ukraine’s independence. Amber is in high demand with Baltic and Polish customers. Since1994, when amber was officially recognized as a precious stone, mining it became illegal and amber hunters started being chased by police. This mineral is mined regardless of the weather by thousands of people every day, in small groups of 3-4 people each. The amount of people arrested by the police is calculated in the hundreds. In spite of success reports the police are fighting windmills: after arrest they go right back to their daily business: traditional punishment is about a hundred dollars, in rare cases – up to 350 dollars.
While everybody continues illegal mining, analysts say that it is most profitable for the buyers of this pine resin, since they buy the stones at a very good price and, without any problems, carry it abroad. The biggest development in illegal amber mining was reached in the last five years. According to experts, about 20-30 tons of amber has been illegally smuggled out of Ukraine. Even if now a criminal smuggling amber is arrested at the border, he will not get punished because there is no law under which to prosecute him.
Due to the authorities’ ignorance, amber was made a precious stone at the legislative level, and thus it is now almost impossible to sell and trade amber in Ukraine. Only one state enterprise in Ukraine has the right to mine and process amber – Amber of Ukraine, which complains that their production process is unprofitable. They blame everything on the illegal miners who decrease the amount of pine resin in the soil. If the situation continues, they will have to raise the question of probably stopping mining and processing amber at their enterprise. Its officials say: “Free open trade of amber could create lots of development opportunities for our enterprise. Amber could become more accessible and affordable for more people. It would be easier to trade and process, because the private stone processing companies we work with now are half legal. Regionally we are not able to create serious strategies or ways for the industry to develop. However, regardless of all the talk, the relevant ministries and authorities never bothered to think of our concerns.” And such rare pine resin never became special to Ukrainian legislators.
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