MOSCOW — Russia has never been an easy country in which to deliver packages because of its vast size. The government just made it a lot harder for anyone buying things online.

Russian customs officials cracked down on online shopping that gets around paying duties on items such as boots or electronics, all in demand here.

Under the new customs rules, couriers must prove a package contains nothing more valuable than the duty-free limit — 150 euros, or about $200. The result has been couriers refusing to deliver most packages.

The custom rules are elaborate, according to the Russian newspaper Vedomosti. The companies must provide authorities the receipt for the purchase and a passport number of the buyer, among other documents