Lithuania's customs officials have exposed a scheme to circumvent sanctions by which Russia and Belarus imported vehicles prohibited by EU sanctions into their territory.
During the raids, employees of the Customs Criminal Service (MKT) together with specialists of the Lithuanian Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) carried out preventive and control measures at the Medininkai road posts and Shalchininkai. During the two-day visit to the border, cargo vehicles carrying all kinds of goods to Belarus and Russia were checked.
As a result of only two days of thorough checks, 7 administrative offense protocols were drawn up. The inspectors claim to have discovered a scheme to circumvent EU sanctions regarding the ban on the export of tractors to Russia and Belarus.
Customs officers were also suspicious of the fact that mainline tractors with semi-trailers of business entities registered in Lithuania leave for the specified countries allegedly for the transportation of goods or go to pick them up, but do not return, perhaps simply re-registering abroad.
< p>A similar situation is observed with luxury passenger cars: natural persons register such vehicles in their name, leave for the specified countries, but then do not return the equipment to Lithuania. In this way, they are trying to avoid the increased control of the customs of the Republic of Lithuania due to the possible entry of cars into Russia.
The activities of such companies will be monitored. In the near future, joint control measures of both institutions will be strengthened at the border points, regular raids and detailed checks will be conducted. Article 15 of the Law on International Sanctions provides for a fine of 50 to 100 percent of the value of the goods and at least 10,000 euros for such a violation of sanctions against legal entities.
Other violations were also discovered. During the inspections, systematic violations (up to 10 percent of freight transportation) were recorded, most of which truck drivers did not have valid “rights” or drove without using a driver's card or using forged documents.