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Vnukovo airport customs official arrested for power abuse

Sixteen smugglers were arrested at Vnukovo airport on March 4

© Donat Sorokin/TASS

MOSCOW, May 21 /TASS/. The Meshchansky district court in Moscow on Friday took Vyacheslav Latskikh, a deputy customs post chief at Moscow’s Vnukovo airport, into custody on charges of power abuse.

"The court ruled to satisfy investigators’ request and take Latskikh into custody until July 4," Judge Elena Gudoshnikova said.

According to investigators, citizens of Azerbaijan and Turkey acted in a conspiracy with Vnukovo customs officials who allowed them to smuggle commercial cargoes disguised as hand luggage from Turkey into Russia. The group consisted of more than 20 people. Its members got through the customs via the Green Corridor (Nothing to Declare) although they had what to declare and were supposed to pass the customs border via the Red Corridor and pay all the duties. The group smuggled up to 30 tonnes of goods into Russia every month.

Sixteen smugglers were arrested at Vnukovo airport on March 4. They confessed that they had an agreement with the Vnukovo customs officers who allowed them to smuggle the cargo into Russia via the Green Corridor. They used to smuggle 700-800 kg of cargo daily for a period from 2 to 5 years.

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