Chernivtsi court confiscates engines for military drones from US citizen

Stop at the customs border

In late June 2026, an incident occurred at the "Porubne-Siret" border crossing point that led to a court hearing. US citizen Philip Herbert Bloom, travelling in an AUDI A6, chose the so-called "green corridor" for customs clearance. This choice automatically implies that the declarant does not have any goods subject to prohibition or restriction when crossing the state border.

What customs officers found

Despite the declared absence of restricted cargo, during a detailed inspection of the car's trunk, customs officers found two cardboard boxes. They contained:

• a two-stroke piston engine of the "170 RS engine" model, intended for large radio-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles;
• a compact turbojet engine "Mk1 Micro Gas Turbine";
• a set of control units (GSU, BOX);
• a micro-hydraulic fuel pump.

The driver had no permit documents or conclusions from the State Export Control Service required for the movement of such equipment.

Expertise results

The forensic examination confirmed that the seized items are aircraft engines specifically designed or modified for military use. Such components are widely used by defence forces. The total market value of the equipment found was 343,584.77 hryvnia.

Court decision

The ruling of the Chernivtsi District Court of the city of Chernivtsi in case No. 725/8167/26 was issued on 29 October 2026. The defendant's representative attempted to prove that the equipment was not concealed and was handed over immediately, and also claimed that the engines do not have a purely military purpose. However, the court rejected these arguments, as the movement of dual-use or military goods without the corresponding special permits is a direct violation of customs legislation.

Philip Herbert Bloom was found guilty of failing to declare goods subject to legal prohibitions or restrictions, under Part 3 of Article 471 of the Customs Code of Ukraine. The court imposed a fine of 5,100 hryvnia on him. All seized equipment was confiscated in favour of the state. In addition, 665.60 hryvnia in court fees were recovered from the offender.