In the first half of 2026, customs authorities recorded 6,035 cases in which individuals unlawfully moved cash; the total exceeded the equivalent of RUB 955 million. Source: FCS Russia.
US dollars and euros were the currencies most often taken out illegally. Frequent destinations included Turkey, the UAE, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, China, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Serbia, Thailand and Estonia.
Under Article 200.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (cash smuggling), 62 criminal cases were opened; 40 of them involved unlawful importation.
Administrative proceedings under Article 16.4 of the Code of Administrative Offences (failure to declare or false declaration of cash) totalled 5,973. Of these, 5,157 related to the ban on exporting foreign currency above the equivalent of USD 10,000.
Since 2 March 2022, Presidential Decree No. 81 of 1 March 2022 has temporarily prohibited taking cash foreign currency out of Russia above the equivalent of USD 10,000.
Cash brought in above that threshold must be declared in writing on a passenger customs declaration. A single importation above the equivalent of USD 100,000 also requires documents confirming the origin of the funds. Written declaration of cash does not itself trigger duties or taxes on the declared amount.