KALININGRAD, Russia, July 21 (UPI) -- Russian customs officials said this week that they foiled an attempt by a man to smuggle nearly half a ton of cheese into the country from the European Union in an attempt to skirt retaliatory sanctions.
The suspect attempted to drive from Poland into Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave, with 460 kilograms -- about 1000 pounds -- of cheese stuffed in the backseat of his car, The Federal Customs Service of Russia said, as reported by EU Business.
The man allegedly claimed he was not transporting goods for commercial purposes so customs officers would not check his vehicle. Russia has banned the import of all dairy and meat products from the EU and other Western countries to retaliate against sanctions imposed on Moscow for its actions in eastern Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin had recently ordered an extension of the embargo until June 16.
As a result of crippling economic sanctions against Russia, an expansive black market has formed in response to the high demand for imported food products.
"A sort of speakeasy scene for Italian cheese evolved, which was akin to buying drugs from 1980s bodegas in Brooklyn, a Moscow banker explained to Business Insider in December.
U.S. and European sanctions have targeted specific Russian businessmen who are close to President Putin. These include Gennady Timchenko, the founder of commodities trader Gunvor and Yuri Kovalchuk, the largest owner of Bank Rossiya.
