Attempt to Smuggle Large Undeclared Tobacco Shipment from Armenia to Russia

The State Revenue Committee's Anti-Smuggling Department continuously monitors the legality of goods imported and exported across the borders of the Republic of Armenia.

Recently, a joint operation by the Anti-Smuggling Department of the State Revenue Committee's Gugark Region Department and the National Security Service's Tavush Regional Department in Noyemberyan resulted in information that an Armenian citizen, R.M., was preparing to export a large quantity of tobacco products to Russia by concealing them from customs control or declaring them under a different name.

To verify the authenticity of the received operational information, officials from the Anti-Smuggling Department of the State Revenue Committee subjected a freight vehicle operated by the aforementioned citizen, heading from Armenia to Russia, to customs control. Inside the cargo compartment, they discovered a total of 199,000 packs of undeclared tobacco without excise stamps.

The inspection revealed that the citizen had previously declared 8 tons and 240 kg of stones for customs clearance, after which, completing the declaration process, he proceeded to the border checkpoint aiming to export them to Russia. However, before reaching the border point, without the permission of the customs authorities, he opened the truck doors and unloaded part of the declared stones, replacing them with approximately 4,630 kg of undeclared tobacco, totaling 199,000 packs, also without excise stamps.

Materials have been prepared regarding the violation of articles 196, 197, 198, and 203 of the Armenian Customs Code, which have been submitted to the legal department of the State Revenue Committee.