Growing number of Russians evade customs duties when leaving Finland
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A growing number of Russians leave Finland carrying items intended for sale in Russia without paying the required customs duties.
This is made possible by the Russian regulation that allows the import of a certain amount of merchandise if it is intended for personal use. As a result, Russia loses millions of euros in customs revenues annually.
The maximum personal import quotas are either 50 kilograms, or a value of slightly under 1,900 euros. This amount was raised at the beginning of the year from less than 1,000 euros.
The items that are bought in Finland or a third country are carried over the border in small allotments and later sold in Russia. This practise is not in violation of any Russian or Finnish laws, even though the purpose is to evade taxes.
By importing merchandise in small allotments, Russians save an average of thirty percent of the value of the items.
Finnish authorities could legally prevent the professional importers from entering the country under the law that makes it a violation to give false information on the purpose for their visit when applying for a visa. However, the Finnish police do not do so.
The increase in the evasion of customs duties is reflected in recent statistics: two years ago less than half of all Russian tourists spent only one day in Finland. Now their share is 75 percent.
It has been estimated that one in ten travellers are along for the ride for the sole purpose of being able to bring more merchandise back to Russia.
These travellers, mostly Russian pensioners, await their rides close to the border on the Finnish side, and are paid ten euros for their day's work. There are dozens of these professional tourists in Finland every day.
The Russian authorities have now limited the number of trips a driver can make with imported merchandise to one per week, but this limit does not apply to the passengers of the vehicles.
Helsingin Sanomat
