10 People Charged in Russian Smuggling Scheme Involving Illegal Exports

Ten people were charged for their alleged involvement in a $50 million Russian smuggling scheme, which included illegally exported electronics and violations of export filing requirements, the Justice Department said Oct. 19. The U.S. arrested eight people -- Akmal Asadov, Sayuz Daibagya, Anton Perevoznikov, Shohruh Saidov, Marat Shadkhin, Kirill Sokhonchuk, Zokir Iskanderov and Azamat Bobomurodov -- while two others remain at large.

The people allegedly tried to export electronic devices, including Apple iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches, from the U.S. to Russia, the Justice Department said. They carried out the exports by using couriers -- mainly current and former employees of Aeroflot Airlines -- to smuggle cash and merchandise as airline passengers. Aeroflot Airlines crew members and others traveled to the U.S. to pick up the devices and return to Russia without U.S. export authorizations.

U.S. authorities uncovered the scheme after searching through the luggage of the couriers, which held millions of dollars in electronic devices, the Justice Department said. In one case, Saidov last October carried nine suitcases with 235 Apple products worth about $250,000. The Justice Department revoked 113 visas belonging to Aeroflot employees as a result of the indictment.