In April 2020 customs officers of the center for operational monitoring and risk analysis of the Federal Customs Service jointly with the North-Western Customs Department and the Baltic Customs suppressed an attempt to illegally export more than 195 000 packs of Belarus cigarettes hidden inside glued boards.

In early April 2020 two companies in the North-West region declared shipments of lumber that were indented to be exported to the Netherlands and the UK. Due to the high possibility of false declaration of the goods a risk profile triggered for the shipments and customs officers decided to inspect the cargo.

During the inspection of containers with use of x-ray customs officers revealed a strange density and degree of radiation absorption for lumber. The cargo was assigned the status "under suspicion". After unloading of containers it was found the boards were glued parts inside which packets of cigarettes had been put. During further investigation customs discovered a warehouse where illegal goods had been hidden in boards.

According to these facts the issue of initiating a criminal case under article 200.2 of the criminal code "Smuggling of alcohol and (or) tobacco products" is being resolved.