Sheremetyevo officers seized 965 silver jewellery pieces of 925 fineness with cubic zirconia, worth RUB 5 million, from a 40-year-old foreign national who had flown in from Guangzhou. Source: FCS Russia.
He was selected for a random check in the green channel. An X-ray showed zip-lock bags of jewellery; the passenger said the items were for his own use, not for sale.
Whether goods count as personal effects is not decided by the traveller’s statement alone. Officers also look at quantity, the nature of the items and how often the person crosses the EAEU border.
A criminal case was opened under Article 226.1(1) of the Russian Criminal Code for smuggling strategically important goods. The penalty is up to five years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to RUB 1 million.
