Belarus’ company supplies sanctioned luxury items to Russia – report

May 27, Pozirk. Belarus’ Belcargo has been involved in supplies of luxury clothing to Russia in violation of international sanctions and evading taxes in Belarus, the Belarusian Investigative Center (BIC) reported.

Journalists contacted Belcargo via WhatsApp posing as potential clients. The company offered a delivery scheme by placing an online order for selected goods with delivery to a warehouse based in Lithuania, where the goods are to be provided with documentation for shipment to Russia.

The investigation found that Belcargo did not question the understated prices, which may indicate tax fraud, affecting Belarus’ revenues from value-added tax and import customs duties.

Another supplier of luxury items is the Minsk-based company AAT Tarhovy Dom Exporttorh reportedly linked to businessman Alaksandar Zajcaŭ, a former assistant to Alaksandar Łukašenka’s son Viktar. From 2022 until 2024, the company was involved in the circumvention of Western sanctions, supplying at least 825 microchips of American and European production as well as Italy-made tires to Russia, the BIC said. However, Exporttorh has not yet been included in the EU and US sanctions lists, it added.

Most Western luxury brands suspended their operations in Russia after the Kremlin launched a full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022 with the help of Belarusian authorities. Weeks after the invasion of Ukraine, the US and the EU banned exports of luxury goods.

Also read: Journalists expose Belarusian company’s links with Russian defense industry