Mechanism of protecting forest and land resources of Ukraine from illegal amber mining: legal aspect

Abstract

Purpose. To determine a legally established mechanism of criminal-legal protection of forest and land resources on the territory of Ukraine where illegal amber mining is carried out. Methodology. The methodological basis of the study is a system of general and special methods of cognition: the dialectical method was used to learn the essence of such a phenomenon as the protection of public relations for environmental protection and rational use of natural resources during amber mining; system-structural method when separating the social relations of the constituent elements protected by the law within the specified structure; when analyzing the forms of socially dangerous acts of crimes under Articles 240-1, 239 and 245 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine; logical-dogmatic method during the interpretation of certain terms used in the sciences of geology, administrative and criminal law, contained in the provisions of current legislation; comparative law method - in the study of the relationship of objective signs of acts under Articles 201-1, 239 and 245 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Findings. It is established that the criminal law protection of Article 240-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine covers public relations for the protection and rational use of amber resources, forest and land resources. The former ones are the main direct object of the crime, the latter ones are the direct additional objects of this crime. The range of objects of this crime is established amber, forest and land resources. The collision of norms of Articles 240-1 and 245 and Articles 240-1 and 239 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Originality. It is established that the object of the crime under Article 240-1 of the Criminal Code includes the main direct object public relations for the protection and rational use of amber resources and two direct additional objects of crime: public relations for the protection and rational use of forest and land resources. It is determined that damage to forests due to illegal amber mining must be further qualified under Part 1 of Article 245 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine if illegal mining is carried out in a generally dangerous manner. This crime must be further qualified under Part 1 of Article 239 of the Criminal code of Ukraine if illegal extraction of amber is carried out with violation of special rules of treatment of substances, waste or other materials. Practical value. From a practical point of view, the results of the study will contribute to the correct qualification of practitioners of illegal amber mining in Ukraine.