In 2023, the Federal Customs Service (FCS) of Russia seized 49.5 million packs of cigarettes from illicit trafficking. This was reported to journalists by the press service of the department.
"In 2023, the Federal Customs Service seized 49.5 million packs of cigarettes from illicit trafficking. Of these, 30.2 million are at the control stage after the release of goods," the FCS said.
60 criminal cases have been initiated. Of these, 51 are on the facts of tobacco smuggling, the total value of illegally moved products is estimated at 316.6 million rubles. In addition, nine criminal cases have been initiated in connection with customs evasion, the amount of damage for which amounted to 3.6 billion rubles.
In the line of administrative proceedings, tobacco products worth 220.1 million rubles became the subject of offenses. Last year, the customs authorities initiated 6,880 cases. Most of them are due to non-declaration or false declaration of goods, as well as cases of non-compliance with prohibitions and restrictions on the import or export of goods.
According to the Federal Customs Service, the most common attempts to illegally import tobacco products were made from Belarus, Uzbekistan, Abkhazia, Turkey and Tajikistan.
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