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.


This document has been generated through artificial intelligence translation and is provided solely for the purposes of industry discourse and learning. Please note that the intellectual property rights of the content belong to the original media source or author. Owing to certain limitations in the translation process, there may be discrepancies between the translated text and the original content. We recommend referring to the original source for complete accuracy. In case of any inaccuracies, we invite you to reach out to us with corrections. If you believe any content has infringed upon your rights, please contact us immediately for its removal.

Russia Plans to Allow Regional Vape Sales Bans from September 2026
Russia Plans to Allow Regional Vape Sales Bans from September 2026
Russia’s Ministry of Finance (Минфин) has drafted amendments to an existing licensing bill that would grant regional authorities the power to ban retail sales of vapes and nicotine liquids from September 1, 2026, to September 1, 2031, RBC reported. Stores violating the ban would lose their tobacco retail licenses.
Nov.19 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Altria’s on!PLUS Nicotine Pouches Reportedly Available in U.S.; Users Say They Have Received Orders
Altria’s on!PLUS Nicotine Pouches Reportedly Available in U.S.; Users Say They Have Received Orders
Social media users reported purchasing Altria’s new nicotine pouch, on!PLUS, in the United States. 2Firsts found that the official on! website had temporarily opened online purchase and store locator functions. The product has not received FDA authorization. Around the same time, British American Tobacco (BAT) suspended its unlicensed Vuse One vape launch in the U.S. amid regulatory pressure.
Oct.28 by 2FIRSTS.ai
Heaven Gifts’s HNB Brand REJO Launches New Device with Design Strikingly Similar to ELFBAR JOINOne Series
Heaven Gifts’s HNB Brand REJO Launches New Device with Design Strikingly Similar to ELFBAR JOINOne Series
Miracle’s heated tobacco brand REJO has launched its new device REJO CUBE in Dubai. The device’s industrial design is highly similar to the ELFBAR JOINOne series, featuring a left-right magnetic structure and side-mounted screen. Positioning the Middle East as a key market, REJO is moving ahead with local team building and entity setup in the region.
Nov.14 by 2FIRSTS.ai
ceshi
ceshi
Nov.04
2Firsts Observation | U.S. E-cigarette Regulation Enters Normalized Phase as Federal and State Authorities Tighten Compliance Frameworks
2Firsts Observation | U.S. E-cigarette Regulation Enters Normalized Phase as Federal and State Authorities Tighten Compliance Frameworks
In just two months, U.S. authorities seized over 7 million illegal e-cigarettes. 2Firsts’ analysis reveals a shift toward institutionalized regulation, with federal and state agencies intensifying enforcement — signaling a major reset in the world’s largest and most influential vaping market.
Oct.28
Bangladesh High Court Questions Legality of BEZA’s Approval for Philip Morris Nicotine Pouch Factory
Bangladesh High Court Questions Legality of BEZA’s Approval for Philip Morris Nicotine Pouch Factory
The High Court in Bangladesh has asked government bodies to explain why the approval granted to Philip Morris to establish a nicotine pouch factory should not be deemed illegal. Petitioners argue the decision contradicts existing policies and a 2016 Appellate Division ruling that restricts new tobacco-related enterprises. Authorities have ten days to respond.
Nov.20 by 2FIRSTS.ai