LRT says the plot sought to circumvent the ban on exporting vehicles to Belarus and Russia.

CCS has said that it will continually and closely monitor the activities of the companies that may attempt to evade the sanctions, in addition to cementing checks at the borders with Belarus and Russia, and conducting regular inspections and raids, LRT reports.

The law enforcement agency was quoted as saying by the broadcaster that “Trucks with semi-trailers, owned by business entities registered in Lithuania, leave for the countries in question, ostensibly to transport goods or to pick them up, but never return, and their registration is simply changed abroad.”

Customs officials told LRT that businesses have been using “a similar method” to smuggle luxury cars. “People register them in their own name and then do not bring them back to Lithuania… This is an attempt to evade the stricter controls by the Lithuanian customs authorities regarding the possible entry of cars into Russia.”

In the case of sanction violations, fines amount to 50-100% of the value of the goods, LRT says.