409,000 Packs of Untaxed Cigarettes Seized in Russia

Apr.04.2023
409,000 Packs of Untaxed Cigarettes Seized in Russia
Russian officials seized 409,000 untaxed packs of Belarusian cigarettes, worth $4.6 million, disguised as cherry shipments.

Customs officials and federal security service border control personnel in Smolensk, Russia, have seized 409,000 packs of Belarusian cigarettes without tax stamps. The detained goods are estimated to be worth 46 million rubles (approximately 4 million yuan).


Rustam Yakupov, head of the Smolensk Customs Office, stated that a truck travelling from Belarus to Moscow was intercepted in the Kruglovo region of Smolensk. According to documents, the truck was loaded with 20 tons of Chinese frozen cherry without pits, but custom officials discovered large quantities of illegal cigarettes in some of the boxes.


Since the mandatory implementation of honest labeling on April 1st, there has been a growing variety of illegal tobacco transportation methods. Transporting unmarked tobacco products is considered an illegal activity, and those involved may face criminal charges under Article 171.1 of the Russian Criminal Code.


Reference:


Cigarettes disguised as cherries.



Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

As FDA Reshapes PMTA Reviews and ENDS Enforcement Priorities, CTP Acting Director Bret Koplow to Keynote NATO Event for a Retail Network of 66,000-Plus Stores
As FDA Reshapes PMTA Reviews and ENDS Enforcement Priorities, CTP Acting Director Bret Koplow to Keynote NATO Event for a Retail Network of 66,000-Plus Stores
Bret Koplow, acting director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Tobacco Products, will deliver a keynote and participate in a fireside chat at the National Association of Tobacco Outlets' Sept. 29-30 conference in Washington. His appearance comes months after the FDA moved to accelerate PMTA reviews and introduced a more differentiated enforcement policy for certain unauthorized ENDS and oral nicotine pouch products. The agency also plans a public list identifying manufacturers and products it does not currently intend to prioritize for enforcement under the May guidance. NATO says its membership includes more than 66,000 retail stores, making product-status transparency and enforcement boundaries directly relevant to the retail sector.
Aug.14
Adani’s Mumbai Airport Duty-Free Shops Face Scrutiny Over Nicotine Pouch Sales in India
Adani’s Mumbai Airport Duty-Free Shops Face Scrutiny Over Nicotine Pouch Sales in India
An Indian investigation found that duty-free shops at Mumbai international airport operated by billionaire Gautam Adani’s business group sold nicotine pouches in breach of the law, Reuters reported, in a case that could shape how India regulates sales of new nicotine products at airport retail outlets.
Jul.08
Kuwait Tightens Tobacco and Nicotine Rules, Bans Under-21 Sales and Extends Public Smoking Restrictions to Vapes and Heated Tobacco
Kuwait Tightens Tobacco and Nicotine Rules, Bans Under-21 Sales and Extends Public Smoking Restrictions to Vapes and Heated Tobacco
Kuwait has issued a comprehensive new regulatory framework covering tobacco, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and other nicotine products. Ministerial Decision No. 237 of 2026, signed by Health Minister Ahmad Al-Awadhi, will take effect on January 1, 2027. The rules prohibit sales to people under 21 and ban sales through websites, apps, social media and delivery services. E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products will also be treated as smoking in public and enclosed places where smoking is prohibited. Nicotine pouches and other oral nicotine products not registered as medicines are banned.
Regulations
Aug.17 by 2Firsts Perspectives
Switzerland Tightens Vape Checks as Only 3 of 32 Tested Products Meet New Tobacco Rules
Switzerland Tightens Vape Checks as Only 3 of 32 Tested Products Meet New Tobacco Rules
According to Swiss media outlet Blick, local authorities are strengthening compliance checks on vape products, nicotine pouches and other tobacco-related products following the implementation of Switzerland’s revised Tobacco Products Act. A Basel laboratory tested 32 disposable vapes and e-liquids, with only three meeting regulatory requirements and 21 products banned from sale. Swiss authorities are also expanding retail inspections, laboratory testing and youth purchase checks to enforce the new tobacco and nicotine product rules.
Aug.12
Malaysia Police Seize RM12.7 Million in Illegal Vapes and Cigarettes as Probe Points to Sea Shipments From China
Malaysia Police Seize RM12.7 Million in Illegal Vapes and Cigarettes as Probe Points to Sea Shipments From China
Police in Malaysia’s Selangor state seized illegal vape products and contraband cigarettes worth about RM12.7 million (approximately $3 million) in two enforcement operations. According to New Straits Times and The Star, the vape-related operation uncovered 131,036 boxes of vape products, 4,900 bottles of e-liquid and 25,510 vape devices, valued at about RM9.4 million. Police said preliminary investigations indicated that some illegal vape products entered Malaysia through sea shipments from China before moving through storage and distribution networks.
Aug.10
Product | PMI Launches Airport-Exclusive IQOS Skylens Limited Edition, Expanding From Japan’s Narita to Travel Retail Markets in 13 Countries Summary
Product | PMI Launches Airport-Exclusive IQOS Skylens Limited Edition, Expanding From Japan’s Narita to Travel Retail Markets in 13 Countries Summary
Philip Morris International (PMI) has introduced the airport-exclusive limited-edition IQOS ILUMA i PRIME Skylens, the company’s first device created specifically for airport travel retail. Inspired by the world of flight and finished in metallic blue, Skylens debuted at Narita International Airport in Japan before expanding into selected airport duty-free and travel-retail channels across 13 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The product retains the existing IQOS ILUMA i PRIME platform, with differentiation centered on airport exclusivity, design and travel-retail execution rather than a new heating architecture.
PMI
Aug.19