A group of 16 Ukrainian draft dodgers, as well as two foreigners who are now accused of smuggling, have been caught by law enforcement while attempting to leave the country in a refrigerator truck, Odessa police announced on Monday.

The military-age men were found hiding inside the truck behind a haul of large pieces of beef. The meat truck was heading for Moldova and was operated by the two foreigners, the police have said, without elaborating on the nationality of the suspected smugglers.

Each of the would-be dodgers paid between $6,000 and $8,000 to the smugglers for the trip, according to the police. The smugglers had allegedly offered additional ‘services’ to their clients, namely promising to get their documents properly stamped as if they had entered Moldova legally and charging an additional €2,000 (some $2,200) for this.

Media reports, however, suggested the figure was at least three times as high, with significant numbers seeking to leave Ukraine actually succeeding in their endeavor.