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Russian customs intercepts $600,000 drug smuggling from Europe

A total of 21 kilograms of drugs have been seized

MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. Russia’s Federal Customs Service (FCS) has seized nearly 21 kilograms of drugs smuggled from Europe, with an estimated black market value of about 51 mln rubles (over $600,000), the agency’s press service reported.

"Officers of the Main Directorate for Combating Smuggling of the FCS of Russia, along with the Central Operational and Moscow customs offices, blocked the import of a large shipment of drugs from Europe. A total of 15 kg of mephedrone and 6 kg of hashish, worth about 51 mln rubles (over $600,000) on the black market, were removed from circulation," the statement said.

According to the FCS, the mephedrone was transported from Poland via Belarus in a truck disguised as construction materials amid consolidated cargo, including toys and furniture. "Packages containing the psychoactive substance were hidden in buckets of putty and initially stored in a hangar in Podolsk, after which the containers were sent via a delivery service to the northern part of the region," the agency added.

The investigation led customs officers to a 32-year-old Russian citizen previously convicted of drug trafficking. He was detained while receiving the shipment. A search of his car also revealed a hidden compartment in the back seat containing six packages of hashish.

The FCS reported that the suspect admitted to ordering the drugs from Spain via the darknet and intended to distribute them through dead drops in Moscow and the surrounding region.

A criminal case has been opened under Part 4 of Article 229.1 of the Russian Criminal Code (large-scale drug smuggling). The maximum penalty under this article is life imprisonment.

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