Large ODS Smuggling Path Closed in Russia. Three Arrested, One Under Travel Restrictions
January 30, 2014
In January 2014, the Main Office for Combating Economic and Corruption Crimes and Investigative Department of the Russia’s Ministry of the Interior executed a major operation for detention and arrest of organizers and perpetrators of a large path for smuggling ozone-depleting substances into the territory of the Russian Federation.
The operation took place in 5 constituent entities of the country and ended with more than 20 searches, 3 organizers arrested by court order, and one perpetrator under travel restrictions.
The operation resulted in revealing and seizure of more than 1,500 cylinders of various size with R-11, R-12, R-22, R-141b, home-made reclamation and filling equipment, and documents, seals and such labelling devices as templates, stencils.
The seized refrigerants are of Chinese origin. Apprehended persons poured refrigerants from original cylinders into Russian ones labelled as containing ozone-safe refrigerants. Illegal refrigerants were mainly bought by pharmaceutical plants which receive official quotas for R-11 and R-12.
Article 226.1Smuggling superpotent, poisonous, toxic, explosive and radioactive substances, radiation sources, nuclear materials, firearms or basic parts thereof, explosive devices, munitions, mass destruction weapons, their delivery vehicles, other armaments and other military hardware, as well as the materials and equipment that can be used in the creation of mass destruction weapons, their delivery vehicles, other armaments and other military equipment, as well as strategic commodities and resources or cultural valuables.
The deeds provided for by Parts One and Two of this article made by an organized group, shall be punishable by deprivation of liberty for a term of seven to twelve years, with or without a fine in the amount of up to one million rubles or in the amount of the wage or salary, or any other income of the convicted person for a period of up to five years, or deprivation of liberty for a term of up to two years.
