SMOLENSK, September 17. /ITAR-TASS/. Russian veterinary standards officials have banned transit of more than 375 tonnes of US poultry through the territory of the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, citing non-compliance with sanitary rules.

Rosselkhoznadzor agency inspectors in the Bryansk and Smolensk regions of central Russia seized meat reaching Russia from Lithuania in transit for Kyrgyzstan, said a report by the sanitary surveillance department.

US veterinary certificates had no data on the epizootic safety of the place of origin or the products' edibility, the report said, citing documents naming Merito Trading as the recipient company.

Production dates on the markings differed from those on veterinary certificates, the report said, adding that containers were in bad sanitary condition, packaging was damaged and some products were showing signs of defrosting.