Latvia’s State Revenue Service (VID) has commenced a total of 201 criminal proceedings over circumvention of anti-Russian and anti-Belarusian sanctions, as journalists were told by VID Customs Office Director Raimonds Zukuls on Wednesday, the 13th of September.
87 criminal proceedings were launched this year and 114 – in 2022.
In 8 386 cases since Latvia adopted sanctions customs officials prevented the carrying of sanctioned goods across the border.
Latvian customs officials have also performed 184 972 cargo document and 6 027 physical cargo inspections since sanctions came into effect.
Zukuls says more than 4 500 Russian and more than 1 300 Belarusian goods are under international sanctions.
Among the goods most often uncovered in attempt to circumvent anti-Russian sanctions, Zukuls mentioned electrical appliances, equipment and machinery, vehicle spare parts, metal products and luxury vehicles. As for imports from Russia, the list of goods intercepted by customs officials include fodder, wood fuels, timber, plywood and cosmetics, body, hair and face care products.
Zukuls said that freight from Russia and Belarus, as well as countries that may be used to circumvent sanctions, accounts for 35.4% of all freight carried to the European Union,
and 51.5% of freight leaving the European Union.
Zukuls also mentioned that customs officials continue preventing other crimes as well. This includes the interception of 6.65 million contraband cigarettes, 6 780 litres of petrol products, 866 litres of alcohol, as well as 59 attempts to smuggle cash and 92 attempts to smuggle narcotics.
Also read: Cars with Russian registration plates to no longer be allowed entry to Latvia