MINSK, 27 March (BelTA) – According to police data a considerable part of grey import comes to Belarus from Russia, BelTA learned from Veronika Posmetyeva, Chief Detective for Priority Cases of the Central Office for Economic Crimes of the Belarusian Interior Ministry.

"After analyzing operational data we have come to a conclusion that a considerable part of grey import comes to Belarus from the Russian Federation," noted Veronika Posmetyeva. Since the beginning of 2015 over Br104.8 billion worth of imports from Russia has been seized or 57% of the total illegal turnover. Police have also helped stop 14 attempts to illegally import embargoed goods from Belarus to Russia this year.

The grey imports coming to Belarus include apparel and footwear, household chemicals, cell phones, tablet computers, personal computers and their components, furniture and interior items, construction materials, printed products, food. Since the beginning of the year over Br63 billion worth of merchandise has been seized by the state in accordance with rulings of economic courts. "These are only major arrests made by the economic crimes division," she said. For instance, batches of such merchandise have been seized recently in Vitebsk Oblast in the outlets of the companies Atlantik-VIT and Snezhnaya Korolina.

Over 1,300 violations of import regulations have been detected so far this year. Most of the major detentions were made in Minsk and the oblast, in Mogilev Oblast, Gomel Oblast, said Veronika Posmetyeva.

The law provides for confiscating the merchandise in addition to fines of up to 50 base amounts (Br9 million) for violating retail trade regulations. At the same time the illegal imports can be of poor quality and can do real damage to citizens of the Republic of Belarus, said the source.