Siberian and Irkutsk customs officers have intercepted a channel of musk (musk pods) smuggling in one of the countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The smugglers planned to export the product worth 50 million rubles ($677,000) using counterfeit documents. The illegal export scheme was uncovered when a batch of valuable derivatives worth over 4 million rubles ($54,000) ready for shipment abroad was seized. The investigation identified the participants of the organized criminal group, including the director and an employee of a company registered in the Irkutsk region, as well as other individuals.
The suspects used fictitious purchase and sale contracts to legitimize the acquisition of musk pods on the domestic market and obtain the necessary permits from the Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources (Rosprirodnadzor) for customs clearance and subsequent export of derivatives. Criminal cases have been initiated against the defendants and other accomplices under Article 226.1, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (smuggling of strategically important resources by an organized group) and Article 30, Part 1 and Article 226.1, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (preparation for smuggling of strategically important resources on a large scale by an organized group). The investigation is ongoing.
The operation was conducted jointly with the Federal Security Service of Russia in the Irkutsk region and the West Baikal interdistrict environmental prosecutor’s office. The case materials have been transferred to the Investigative Department of the Eastern Siberian Linear Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Transport.
Background: Musk pods and the musk contained in them fall under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). When crossing the customs border, CITES objects must be declared in writing and accompanied by the necessary permits to the customs authorities.