Lithuania uncovers nearly €2 million smuggling scheme to Russia

The Financial Crimes Investigation Service, under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Lithuania, reported this development.

The total value of the suspected contraband is estimated at close to €2 million.

Preliminary findings suggest that five Lithuanian citizens, acting on behalf of Russian clients, attempted to bypass international sanctions to export prohibited goods to Russia.

The operation ran from March 2022 to August 2024, with participants purchasing goods in various EU countries. They used false export declarations, listing Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus as the destinations. The illicitly exported goods are valued at over €1.9 million.

During the investigation, authorities conducted 18 searches at the suspects' homes, vehicles, and business premises in Vilnius. Law enforcement seized documents, phones, computers, and servers containing information related to the suspects' activities.

The suspects have been charged, and their assets have been temporarily frozen. The prosecutor's office emphasizes that breaching international sanctions and engaging in smuggling are serious offenses, punishable by hefty fines and up to eight years in prison.

• Recently, it was reported that a Lithuanian Migration Department employee concealed her Russian citizenship. As a result, she was dismissed, and her Lithuanian passport was revoked.