Head of Russian Customs Expects Greater Influx of Banned Turkish Goods

Russia is facing an increase in the illicit import of contraband products from Turkey through third countries, Russian Federal Customs Service head Andrey Belyaninov said Tuesday.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – Russia banned an array of Turkish agricultural products after a Turkish fighter shot down a Russian Su-24 jet over Syria on November 24, 2015.

However, the Russian Federal Customs Service contends that the import of prohibited goods into the country from Turkey hasn't stopped, according to its head, Andrey Belyaninov.

"Basically, it's food products. The foodstuffs of Turkish origin, the import of which into Russia was banned, are being delivered through third countries," he stressed.

Although the head of the Federal Customs Service did not name specific countries involved in the delivery of banned products, he said these states were "adjacent to the Russian Federation."

"The amount is not very large," Belyaninov said, adding that the flow of goods was due to increase.

The November downing of a Russian frontline bomber by Turkey soured relations between the two countries. In the wake of the incident, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree which launched economic sanctions against Ankara.

The decree includes a ban on the employment of Turkish citizens by Russian employers, a food import ban on certain categories of products, as well as a restriction on charter flights in both directions. The bans came into force on January 1.