In the first nine months of 2024, the Federal Customs Service (FCS) of Russia opened 131 criminal cases on the facts of tobacco smuggling, which is almost four times more than in the same period last year, the press service of the department reported.
"In the first nine months of 2024, the Federal Customs Service opened 131 criminal cases on the facts of tobacco smuggling. This is almost four times more than in the same period last year, when 34 cases were initiated," the report says.
The press service also noted that 5,827 cases were initiated in the line of administrative proceedings (5,166 in the first nine months of 2023). In total, 13.5 million packs of cigarettes and 108.5 tons of tobacco raw materials were seized from illicit trafficking during the specified period.
According to the agency, the cost of contraband products in criminal cases amounted to about 393 million rubles, which is almost twice the figure for the same period in 2023 (222 million rubles). The amount payable in respect of undeclared goods amounted to 247 million rubles, which is almost 3.5 times more than in the same period in 2023 (more than 71 million rubles).
The main part of administrative violations is related to non-declaration of goods and non-compliance with prohibitions and restrictions on the movement of goods. The total value of the objects of offenses exceeded 310 million rubles, when in 2023 for the same period it amounted to 178.7 million rubles.
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