In St. Petersburg, North-West Operational Customs removed nearly 500,000 unmarked tobacco products worth about RUB 79 million from illegal circulation. Source: FCS Russia.
The consignment was found at three warehouse sites in the Central, Frunzensky and Kirovsky districts: 437,000 packs of cigarettes manufactured in the UAE and Belarus.
At one of the premises officers also seized roughly 9,000 Chinese-made e-cigarettes, 17,000 bottles of refill liquid and about 2,000 packs of Swedish chewing tobacco.
Investigators are considering a criminal case under Article 171.1(6)(b) of the Russian Criminal Code (storage of unmarked goods and products). The offence may carry up to six years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to RUB 1 million. The case materials have been referred to the regional interior ministry directorate.
