In 2009 more than 10 criminal cases were instituted by officers of the State Customs Committee of Transdniestria on the facts of cigarette smuggling. Tobacco goods produced in the Republic of Moldova are among risk products illegally imported to Transdniestrian Moldavian Republic.

 

Infringers of customs legislation have a definite aim – evasion of customs payments: customs clearance charges and special customs duty of 100% imposed on a number of goods imported from Moldova. Criminal business connected with illegal importation of tobacco goods generates a lagre profit for those involved. Of course, the supply volume of smuggled tobacco products in Transdniestria is not commensurate with world volume of illegal tobacco supplies, but protection of economic interests of TMR is the fundamental factor in struggle against cigarette smuggling.  A number of cigarette smuggling cases detected by customs bodies of Transdniestria in 2009 show that Moldavian tobacco products are illegally delivered to the territory of TMR by motor transport  and by water - crossing the river Dniester. In December last year the officers of department on struggle against smuggling of Rybnitsa Customs seized 60 boxes of cigarettes produced and transported from the Republic of Moldova by automobile. Bussinessman could not produce documents confirming legality of imported tobacco products. In July 2009 was detained a citizen who illegally conveyed from the Republic of Moldova 17 870 packages of cigarretes with Moldavian excise stamps on them. Tobacco products were smuggled  by boat across the river Dniester away from the Customs office.On the fact of evasion of customs payments the criminal case was instituted.

In June 2009 was arrested the organized crime group which had been involved in criminal cigarette bussiness over 3 years. The crime was investigated in coperation between the State Customs Committe of Transdniestria and Ministry of Internal Affairs of TMR. During the preliminary investigation officers of department on struggle against smuggling of  Customs Committee established that illicit supply of Moldavian cigarettes to the territory of Transnistria had become regular since 2007. This fact was confirmed by documentary information from black-market bookkeeping in firms owned by head of the organized crime group Vladimir Evangelia, and testimonial evidence. The joint investigating group of the State Customs Committe of Transdniestria and Ministry of Internal Affairs of TMR seized from illicit trade a large amount of cigarettes produced and illegally imported from the Republic of Moldova to Transdniestria, established smuggling routes for delivering tobacco goods from Moldova to the territory of TMR. Criminal bussiness of Evangelia’s organized crime group affected state’s interests in the amount of more than 19 millions TMR roubles. As a result of joint investigating actions, the head and members of organized crime group were accused of smuggling, evasion of customs payments,  illegal business activity and legalization of illicit incomes. After arresting  Evangelia’s organized crime group, cigarettes produced in the Republic of Moldova have dissappeared from sale in Transnistrian tobacco market.