Upheaval of contraband recorded after creating of the Customs Union

The scope of arrested contraband which was intended to be transported through the Belarusian border to the European Union, increased 4 times in comparison with last year. This was informed by the official of the Customs Committee Andrej Mikhalkevich. Mikhalkevich: "The quantity of tobacco products illegally transported to the European Union substantially increased. More than 100 million cigarettes have been arrested so far, and only 77 for the whole last year. The quantity of arrested alcoholic products is also high, and there's a high dynamic of increasing thereof. About 5 tons were arrested for the same period last year, this year - more than 43,5 tons. There is also an increase in quantity of arrests and contraband of drugs. 942 kilos of psychotropic substances were arrested by customs authorities as a result of  52 attempts of illegal trafficking through the border. Last year there were only 32 attempts and 1 kilo arrested”.

Mikhalkevich is convinced that increase of contraband is connected with "formation of negative economic tendencies in the world", not with entering the Customs Union by Belarus.

Mikhalkevich: “Consumer markets change, offers of shipment of drugs to these consumer markets also change, and the scope of arrests essentially increases. All these processes are not clearly reflected namely in the processes, connected with formation of the Customs Union”.