— Black imports, sorry for the linguistic incorrectness, simply make their way into our customs territory, a The Russian Federation is losing billions, tens of billions of rubles – said Vladimir Putin. He added that he had discussed the issue with Kazakh President Kasym-Jomart Tokay, assuring that his counterpart “understood everything.”
— We agreed that all trucks stuck in a traffic jam at the border in Kazakhstan will start heading towards the Russian Federation, Putin said. This way, the queues will gradually decrease. Vehicles will enter Russia legally, but must pay at least minimal fees.
However, this is a temporary solution – Putin has threatened to put an end to this practice.
He stated that from next year, Russian customs officers will require drivers of trucks carrying cargo to have all the necessary documents during random inspections. If they are not there, they will not be allowed to leave the country. — Customs officers will conclude agreements among themselves, also regarding confiscation [towarów] – he said.
The end of smuggling?
In September, Russian customs services began mass document checks, the so-called cargo shipments from China, cleared in Kazakhstan and bound for Russia within the single customs territory. This caused traffic jams consisting of thousands of trucks to quickly form at the checkpoints. Previously, Russian services did not carry out comprehensive inspections, as a result of which a lot of cargo arrived in Russia without appropriate documents or was simply smuggled.
According to estimates by importers and logisticians, due to the introduction of border controls with Kazakhstan, up to 10 percent were stuck there by November. all Russian imports. This made it some companies began to report problems with their assortment — this primarily concerned sellers on marketplaces. — It's no secret that there has always been a high percentage of “gray” goods there, and it is not without reason that things were sometimes sold for half the price of large chains – said an anonymous employee of a large logistics company.
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Putin tried to solve this problem. On October 24, he issued a decree allowing the “whitening” of cargo. On its basis, until December 10, cargoes can be imported to Russia without a full set of declarations, certificates and markings, provided that they are subsequently fully customs cleared. People who chose this option crossed the border and, escorted by customs officers, went to the nearest temporary storage warehouses in Ulyanovsk, Samara and Togliatti to clear the goods.
Ultimately, however, this did not lead to the full “whitening” of cargoes from the gray import zone, but only to a surcharge for them. As five entrepreneurs reported anonymously, the fee was most often between PLN 25,000 and PLN 30,000. hole. (from PLN 91.6 to PLN 110 thousand) for a truck or USD 2.5-5. (PLN 9.2-18.3) per kilogram of cargo. However, if the cargo roads through Kazakhstan are closed in the new year, goods will have to be imported “white”, i.e. completely legally – which will make them 70-80 percent cheaper. more expensive, says an anonymous Russian importer of clothing and footwear.
However, other importers believe that completely blocking the route for trucks with loads will not be possible. Carriers transport them not only through Kazakhstan, but also directly across the Russian borders, counting on selective inspections. — In fact, half of the cargo, both in quantity and value, passes through Ussuriysk. If they tighten conditions there, there are other options. There are people everywhere you can get along with – said one of the importers.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
