Last year, the State Customs Service audited 9,000 cases of declared “humanitarian aid” entering the country and found that around a third were probably other goods falsely labeled to avoid customs fees. Customs postings can be so lucrative that criminals are willing to shell out large sums for desirable positions: Ukraine’s anti-corruption bureau uncovered an attempt earlier this year to bribe officials with $1.7 million into appointing three regional heads of customs who would turn a blind eye to illegal schemes. “Customs is perhaps the single biggest cash cow that brings corrupt money into Ukraine's political system. It’s the largest tax-evasion scheme in the country,” said Josh Rudolph, a senior fellow and head of the transatlantic democracy working group of the U.S.