Big Jewelry Smuggling Channel Shut Down
MOSCOW
(RIA Novosti) – At Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport customs officers
have blocked a big jewelry smuggling channel, RIA Novosti learned
from the press service of the Federal Customs Service (FTS) on
Monday.
"During
operative measures against the illegal gems and jewelry turnover,
customs officers have blocked the smuggling channel passing through
Sheremetyevo airport. Over 14,000 chains, air-rings, rings and
other pieces of jewelry totaling 42.2 kilograms have been seized
from a Russian national trying to smuggle them. He was following
the Istanbul-Kiev-Moscow route," the FTS said.
He failed
to declare the declarable articles, it added.
During the
inspection of his hand luggage, he was found carrying plastic
bags with articles of jewelry in his travel bag.
"Examination
revealed their being made of hallmark 585 gold presumably by a
Turkish manufacturer," the Russian FTS said.
"They
were reddish, which is typical of Russian gold, and did not carry
hallmarks and stamps. Part of them were Orthodox medallion icons,
which prompts us to think they were to be marked as if made in
Russia for retail sales," the FTS press service said.