The cars made in 2023 were allegedly being transported to Belarus through the Šalčininkai border checkpoint. However, customs officers suspected that they would have been moved to and registered in Russia instead.
As a result, the officers did not allow to carry out export procedures of vehicles valued over EUR 200,000.
A pre-trial investigation was opened into circumvention of international sanctions and smuggling. Sanctions for the export of cars from the EU to Russia were imposed in 2014.
Both vehicles were impounded and are parked in customs’ facilities. Their drivers were released after questioning.
In this case, Lithuanian customs is cooperating with US authorities overseeing international sanctions.
Lithuania has tightened the control of exports of luxury cars to third countries. Customs officers determined that in 2023 nearly every second luxury car (valued over EUR 50,000) exported from the EU to a third country (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan etc.) would eventually enter the Russian market.