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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
🚭 Smuggling under clothing: in Mohyliv-Podilskyi they stopped a Moldovan woman with 43 "vapes"
Vinnytsia City Court held a Moldovan citizen administratively liable who attempted to take a shipment of electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches out of Ukraine. To bypass customs control and mandatory declaration, the offender literally hung them all over her clothing. 📦💨
The incident occurred at the Mohyliv-Podilskyi — Otach checkpoint of the Dnister customs post. The foreign national was leaving Ukraine and deliberately chose the simplified system — the “green corridor.” By doing so she officially assured customs officers that she had no goods subject to written declaration, taxation, or restrictions.
However, during an inspection of the passenger’s personal belongings and clothing, customs officers discovered a whole “arsenal”: under the woman’s outerwear were concealed 43 ELBAR RAYA D3 smoking devices and 7 plastic boxes with nicotine pouches (snus) “STREET PREMIUM NICOTINE POUCHES” of various flavors. There were no Ukrainian excise stamps on the goods.
According to the conclusion of a specialized examination by the State Customs Service, the total value of the seized goods amounted to 35 985,60 UAH. Because the foreign national used a method that hindered detection of the goods, her actions were qualified under Part 1 of Article 483 of the Customs Code of Ukraine (movement of goods concealed from customs control).
On 3 November 2026 the court upheld the customs authority’s position and imposed the maximum penalty. The offender was fined 100% of the value of the seized items (35 985,60 UAH) with full confiscation of all electronic cigarettes and snus. In addition, she was charged storage costs for the goods by customs and a court fee.
This was reported by the Telegram channel “Sudom po skhemakh” citing case No. 127/37441/26.
💡 Tips from “Sudom po skhemakh”
• “Green corridor” is a legal statement: Choosing this lane of passage automatically means you have no goods to declare. Attempting to carry undeclared items under clothing or in secret pockets through the “green corridor” is instantly qualified as smuggling with concealment.
• Tobacco and excise goods have strict limits: Movement of excise goods (especially without Ukrainian excise stamps or beyond the duty-free import/export allowances) is subject to mandatory declaration and inspection.
• Hiding guarantees confiscation and a fine of 100%: If goods are hidden under clothing or in structural elements of luggage, the court will apply Part 1 of Article 483 of the Customs Code of Ukraine, which provides not only for seizure of the goods but also for a mandatory fine equal to their full value.
Telegram publication
