Poland Seizes Aircraft Tyres Bound for Russia in Violation of Sanctions
Polish customs authorities have seized five metric tons of aircraft tyres intended for Boeing civilian planes, which were set to transit through Belarus and Russia in violation of European Union sanctions, The Gaze reports, citing Reuters.
The tyres were intercepted during an inspection at a border checkpoint in Koroszczyn. According to KAS, the driver had falsely declared the cargo as car and bus tyres. “Officers… discovered during the inspection of a truck in Koroszczyn that the driver was transporting tyres used in Boeing civil planes instead of the declared car and bus tyres,” the agency said in a statement.
The goods were being shipped from a company in Spain to a recipient in Azerbaijan. However, authorities suspect the actual route was intended to include Russia, a violation of current EU trade restrictions.
“Criminal fiscal proceedings were initiated in connection with customs fraud. The sanctioned goods were detained,” the administration added. The manufacturer of the tyres was not disclosed, and Boeing has yet to comment on the matter.
The seizure underscores the continuing enforcement of strict sanctions imposed by the European Union against Russia and its ally Belarus following the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Those sanctions prohibit the export of aviation-related parts and equipment to Russia.
Since the beginning of the war, Western aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing and Airbus, have suspended maintenance, technical support, and the supply of spare parts to Russian carriers. Boeing, which had significant operations in Moscow prior to 2022, has reiterated its compliance with all export controls and international restrictions.
As The Gaze previously reported, the EU Foreign Affairs Council is to approve the 17th package of EU sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, 20 May, and three more packages of sanctions in addition to it: on Russia's hybrid activities, human rights violations and the use of chemical weapons, an EU official involved in the preparation of these documents said.