Smuggling, evasion of customs payments, illegal creation of a legal entity

In 2023, Rostov Customs initiated 30 criminal cases.

10 criminal cases were initiated by the customs under Article 226.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (smuggling of potent substances) and 1 – under Article 229.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (smuggling of narcotic drugs). 706.24g of potent substances and 50.03g of narcotic drugs were seized from circulation. All the facts of smuggling of potent substances and narcotic drugs detected in 2023 were committed through international mail. In most cases, citizens order abroad dietary supplements and weight loss preparations containing potent substances. The largest mailing this year in terms of the number of drugs containing potent substances was detected in Novocherkassk. A citizen on the advice of an acquaintance ordered in the U.S. 690 capsules of dietary supplements, which contained in the composition of potent substances with a total mass of 362.07 grams

In addition, in the course of operational and investigative measures, employees of the department for combating drug smuggling of Rostov Customs established that a resident of Taganrog, born in 1976, orders cannabis (marijuana) seeds in Spain through international mail, from which he grows the drug marijuana on the territory of his home. As a result of joint activities with the Department of Internal Affairs of Russia in Taganrog to work out the information received by the Rostov customs officers, a laboratory for the production of cannabis (marijuana) was identified. It was located at the man’s place of residence and was equipped with everything necessary for growing marijuana (beds, watering, fans, dryers). Canabis bushes and 64.01 grams of marijuana were found and seized from the Taganrog resident

In the past year, Don customs officers opened 13 criminal cases on the facts of illegal creation of legal entities or illegal use of documents for the creation or reorganization of legal entities. In the course of inspections of firms participating in foreign economic activity were established the following facts: citizens for a one-time or monthly monetary remuneration provided their passport to enter into the unified state register of legal entities information about them as directors of firms. In fact, they had nothing to do with the creation and operation of the firms

Two more criminal cases were initiated by Rostov Customs on the facts of smuggling of strategically important resources – oil products and coal. Also, during the inspection of one of the firms, Rostov customs officers revealed the fact of transferring money in the amount of more than 200 million rubles to the account of a non-resident using false documents

In addition to criminal cases, in 2023 Rostov customs officers initiated 1,799 cases of administrative offenses.