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Currently, according to Chancellor Gabriel Landsbergis, the sanctions cover about 20 percent. for new cargo contracts crossing the territory of Lithuania.
“It means that there is a small impact, but it does not cover the whole load. Lithuania has now submitted a proposal to extend sanctions, also sectoral. We haven’t mentioned which ones specifically, but it’s probably logical to understand that this sector is likely to be covered as well. It means that new potassium fertilizer products would be included and that the load would decrease, “the foreign minister told reporters before the government meeting.
Landsberg said this could be done at the earliest in September, when the Council of the European Union would meet again after the summer.
“Because there is no longer a format that can do that today, but a formal request has been made,” Landsbergis said.
Dig deeper if fertilizer smuggling is not a trend
The chancellor also took note of the information that appeared on Tuesday about the smuggling of cigarettes in the shipment from Belaruskalij.
“It just came to our attention then. We need to dig into whether this is not a certain trend,” said G. Landsbergis.
As previously announced, agents found cigarette smuggling in the shipment of Belarusian fertilizer manufacturer Belaruskalij transported to Lithuania by train, the Criminal Customs Service reported Tuesday.
According to preliminary data, 159 boxes or almost 80 thousand. NZ Gold and Minsk Capital cigarette packs manufactured at the Neman plant in Grodno.
According to preliminary estimates, the value of illegal smokers with mandatory taxes should be around 259 thousand. euros.
The cargo was inspected at the Stasylai train station.
The Criminal Customs Service will initiate a pre-trial investigation into cigarette smuggling.
According to the service, Lithuanian officials have recently found large shipments of cigarettes smuggled on trains from Belarus almost every week.
Smugglers use all types of rail transport (open and closed wagons, containers, tanks) to transport illegal smokers.
Efforts are being made to take advantage of the design features of the wagons, such as the installation of double-walled shelters at the rear of the wagons, according to the report.
Smokers are also often hidden under “covered” loads simply by mixing cigarette boxes between official loadings or installing hides.
In such cases, cigarettes are often hidden in hard-to-control bulk cargoes: potassium chloride fertilizers, burials in crushed stone or wood, authorities say.
One of the most popular hiding places of this type are the so-called “coffins”, when cigarettes are transported after cutting empty cavities in the wood.
According to the Criminal Customs Service, it is difficult for officials to inspect wagons due to both the high flow of goods and the limited inspection time.
The number of arrests for smuggling in rail transport has increased in recent years.
In 2019, agents recorded 14 arrests for smuggling on the railroad, in 2020 – 36, and in the first half of 2021 – 37.
The value of cigarette smuggling in rail transport seized this year is about 4 million. euros.
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