Polish tax authorities have uncovered a sanctions evasion scheme involving the illegal import of wooden products from Russia and Belarus.

The Mazovian National Tax Administration arrested three individuals responsible for orchestrating the illicit trade.

Investigators discovered that a Polish company was importing Belarusian birch plywood through intermediary companies in Kazakhstan. This method deliberately circumvented European Union sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus.

Law enforcement conducted simultaneous searches across three provinces: Mazovian, Greater Poland, and Podlaskie. Authorities seized critical evidence during the operation, including accounting documentation, electronic equipment, and stockpiled plywood.

“The investigation revealed a calculated attempt to bypass international sanctions,” said a spokesperson for the Mazovian Tax Administration. Prosecutors charged the suspects with customs fraud and violating international sanctions.

The three suspects were remanded in custody for three months. They face potential prison sentences of up to three years and substantial financial penalties.

Investigators collected product samples for further laboratory analysis. The comprehensive probe demonstrates Poland’s commitment to enforcing EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus.

The case comes amid ongoing discussions about potential expansion of sanctions. On 13 May, EU finance ministers are set to discuss the details of the 17th sanctions package targeting Russia.

Russia has been evading sanctions via Poland’s border primarily through illicit trade and circumvention networks, with Polish authorities increasingly imposing fines and penalties on firms involved in trading sanctioned goods with Russia and Belarus. Poland, along with neighboring EU states, has also strengthened customs cooperation to monitor and prevent such sanctions evasion.

The EU imposed sanctions on Russia in response to its illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, its recognition of separatist regions in eastern Ukraine in 2022, and the full-scale invasion against Ukraine. The sanctions aim to weaken Russia’s economic base, restrict access to critical technologies, and curtail its ability to wage war while condemning its violations of international law and sovereignty.

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