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.