Vinnytsia court fines Moldovan citizen for concealing snus and vapes under clothing

Attempt to bypass customs control ends with maximum fine

The Vinnytsia City Court issued a ruling regarding a Moldovan citizen who attempted to illegally export a batch of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches from Ukraine. The woman was held administratively liable for concealing goods from customs control. For this violation, the court imposed a fine equal to the full value of the seized property.

How the incident occurred at the border crossing

The events unfolded at the "Dnister" customs post, "Mohyliv-Podilskyi — Otach" border crossing. The foreigner chose the "green corridor" for departure from the country, which officially signified her statement that she had no goods subject to written declaration, taxation, or restriction. However, during the inspection of personal belongings and clothing, customs officers discovered concealed property.

Under the woman's outerwear, officers found 43 "ELBAR RAYA D3" brand smoking devices and seven plastic boxes of "STREET PREMIUM NICOTINE POUCHES" (snus) in various flavours. None of the items bore Ukrainian excise duty marks.

Court ruling and case details

According to the conclusion of a specialised State Customs Service expert, the total value of the seized goods amounted to 35,985.60 UAH. The foreigner's actions were qualified under Part 1 of Article 483 of the Customs Code of Ukraine, as she used a method that hindered the detection of the goods.

On 3 November 2026, the court upheld the customs service's position and imposed the maximum penalty. The offender was fined 100% of the value of the seized items, i.e. 35,985.60 UAH. All seized property — e-cigarettes and snus — was confiscated. Additionally, the Moldovan citizen was charged with the costs of storing the property by the customs service and the court fee. Information about this case No. 127/37441/26 has been published.