The country's leadership gave the command of the State Border Committee of Belarus an unspoken instruction - not to interfere with the facts of smuggling activities on the borders with Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania. Such a decision is connected with the sharp deterioration of the financial situation in the country due to the sanctions imposed on the Lukashenko regime by Western countries. Therefore, the Belarusian authorities hope to partially reduce the deficit of revenues to the country's budget precisely at the expense of maximum stimulation of smuggling. First of all, tobacco products from local manufacturers.
In addition to the fact that in this way the regime will be able to partially provide the market of Belarus (and later the Russian Federation) with sanctioned groups of goods that were previously delivered from EU countries. The list is quite extensive: spare parts for automotive equipment, household goods, etc. In order to increase the flow of goods, the Belarusian authorities are relaxing the requirements for crossing the border from EU countries.
Poland and Lithuania border agencies have already announced the discovery of large consignments of smuggled Belarusian tobacco products in trucks.
