Ukraine's Minister of Justice and a 'stolen' Merc

Big-selling German popular newspapers have recently been running a story about Ukrainian Justice Minister Oleksandr Lavrynovych and his top-of the range Mercedes GL 420 SUV - that was reported stolen in Germany in January 2010.

The vehicle is currently being sought by Interpol as part of a wider investigation into criminal racketeering.

Lavrynovych is a stooge of Yanukovych whose star is now in the ascendant following Yuliya Tymoshenko's trial and imprisonment.

The scandal in which his is embroiled came to light as a result of a feud between Lavrynovych and PoR parliamentary deputy Valeriy Konovalyuk.

Konovalyuk 'ratted' on him to Interpol after they had tangled over a shady business deal involving a German company and the supply of state-of-the-art ID cards and other documents. Well over $100 million from state funds may have 'gone adrift'.

German authorities claim huge numbers of vehicles are stolen to order in their country every year for customers in Eastern Europe. If they are intercepted and impounded at the Ukrainian border, instead of being returned to their rightful owners, Ukrainian courts 'legalise' their theft by impounding them and allowing them to be 'passed on' to the 'right people' - like Lavrynovych.
On 14 April 2011, the Ukraine's traffic police registered the Mercedes in question as the property of the Department of Justice.

Meanwhile members of the criminal car-smuggling gang who stole Lavrynovych's merc have been sentenced to five and nine years in prison in Germany..

[Nice photo of Lavrynovych - [that's L-a-v-r-y-n-o-v-c-h] at this link just make sure all western law enforcement agencies 'clock' him]. And a photo of him getting out of his 'panzer wagon' here ]