MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. The volume of cash that citizens tried to illegally transport across the border amounted to 1.88 billion rubles in 2023, which is 10.5% lower than in 2022. This was reported to reporters in Federal Customs Service (FTS) of Russia.

“So, the total amount of money that citizens tried to hide from customs control amounted to 1.88 billion in ruble equivalent, which is 10.5% lower than last year. In total, over 11.3 thousand attempts at illegal movement were recorded,” the department said.

According to the Federal Customs Service, they mainly tried to smuggle dollars and euros. Most often, funds were exported to Turkey, the UAE, Azerbaijan, China, Uzbekistan, Serbia and Israel, and imported from Turkey, the UAE and Azerbaijan.

In connection with the illegal export of cash totaling 1.36 billion rubles, 48 ​​criminal cases and 9,678 cases of administrative offenses were initiated, including 6,801 cases of administrative offenses related to the export of foreign currency exceeding the equivalent of $10 thousand. In connection with the facts of illegal import of currency into with a total amount of 521.7 million rubles, 33 criminal cases and 1,604 cases of administrative offenses were initiated. The figures decreased by 43.1% and 24.4%, respectively, which, according to the Federal Customs Service, was due to a decrease in the flow of foreign tourists visiting Russia in 2023.

The Federal Customs Service of Russia reminds that cash exceeding the equivalent of $10 thousand is subject to mandatory written declaration when moving across the customs border of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). When one individual moves currency in excess of $100 thousand at a time, documents confirming the origin of such funds will need to be attached to the passenger customs declaration.