The Estonian Tax and Customs Board (ETCB) has reported that most violations of the sanctions imposed by the European Union are related to attempts to transport euros across the border. Smart devices and various consumer goods are also involved in these violations. One of the offenders was found to have 15,000 euros sewn into his underwear.
Since April 27, when import and export of sanctioned goods and euro banknotes up to 10,00 were prohibited, exports of banknotes totaling 376,00 have been blocked. During this time, 19 criminal cases have been opened for violations of sanctions, and imports and exports worth 4.5 million have been stopped.
“Private individuals use various hiding places – prohibited items are concealed in vehicles, suitcases, between clothing layers, in underwear, and elsewhere. Businesses often try to hide exported goods by submitting customs declarations with false information, concealing the actual commodity code, or listing Russia only as a transit country, even though the final destination is very likely Russia. There is zero tolerance for attempts to export sanctioned goods, and repeated violations or those exceeding a value of €10,000 can also lead to criminal proceedings,” said Voldemar Linno, Head of the Customs Control Department at the ETCB.
