Irkutsk customs found contraband forests in Afghanistan, China and Tajikistan for a total amount of 20,9 million rubles
Irkutsk customs has opened three criminal cases related to the smuggling to Afghanistan, China and Tajikistan is strategically important product – lumber.
The crimes revealed in the interaction with the East-Siberian and the Baikal-Angara transport Prosecutor’s offices and the East Siberian investigative management on transport of Investigatory Committee of the Russian Federation.
Smuggling of timber of unknown origin was made by the firm-Lesexport, was in the city of Zima in Irkutsk oblast. In 2016 at different times by the organization were signed three long-term international contract with the Chinese firm and one contract with the Afghan and Tajik companies for the supply of wood: sawn timber of softwood (Pinus sylvestris), Siberian larch (LARIX SIBIRICA), hardwood (birch).
It was found that during the customs Declaration on goods was submitted to the invalid, counterfeit documents. Only Zima firm for fictitious documents illegally exported to the countries of the counterparty 3928,6 cubic meters of timber of unknown origin with a total value of 20 million 868 thousand rubles.
According to the facts July 17, 2020, the Department of inquiry of Irkutsk customs in respect of the head of the firm initiated three criminal cases under part 1 of article 226.1 of the criminal code – contraband of strategically important goods (lumber) on a large scale.
HELP
This year Irkutsk customs office opened 11 criminal cases related to illegal export of timber of unknown origin abroad. The cost of illegal movement of strategically important goods (forest) amounted to 222,7 million.
In January – June of this year the Irkutsk customs was also instituted 571 the case of administrative offences (AP) associated with the export of timber, of which 477 cases of AP were instituted on the facts you fail to declare timber and timber products.
In 2020 Irkutsk customs continues to attract exporters to administrative responsibility on the facts of gubbrockarna export of timber under the guise of lumber. The total number of detected offences for the 1st half of 2020 according to the facts were 286 cases of AP (for the 1st half of 2019 – 265 cases of AP). Recall, that wood that requires further processing (for finished lumber of suitable quality) when you export should be subject to the same customs duty as roundwood.
In January-June 2020 in the Irkutsk customs was declared at 3.6 million cubic meters of timber for export in the amount of 504 million U.S. dollars, of which treated timber is 2.8 million cubic meters worth more than 425,5 million U.S. dollars, of unprocessed timber (roundwood) – 791,2 thousand cubic meters in the amount of 78.5 million dollars.
It should be noted that the export of timber from the Irkutsk region and its Declaration is also carried out in other customs bodies of Russia, in particular, in Siberian electronic customs.
Tatyana Krasavina,
a press-the Secretary of Irkutsk customs