Border Guards in Grzechotki detained Russian citizens who were tricked into crossing the border and smuggling amber.

At the road border crossing in Grzechotki, on the way to Poland, a Chrysler car pulled up for customs. The driver was a 59-year-old Russian man, and his 20-year-old son was a passenger. They carried Latvian residence cards and declared transit to Latvia. Also in the vehicle was a 57-year-old Russian woman who claimed to be married to a German citizen and was traveling to Germany.
 
It turned out that this wasn’t the first time the father and son had attempted to cross the border from Russia into Poland using deception. Border Guard officers confirmed that they had previously declared the same destination. As a result, they were detained. During the investigation, amber beads were discovered in the passengers’ pockets. Officers from the Border Guard Post in Grzechotki directed the car and the passengers to a thorough search, which they conducted with officers from the National Revenue Administration (KAS). 120 amber necklaces were discovered in the driver’s luggage. His son had 70 beads, and his wife had 40. The smuggled goods were valued at nearly 11,000 złoty. 

The 59-year-old driver and his son were charged with crossing the state border by deception. All three were also charged with smuggling amber. 

A sum of 9,500 złoty was secured against future fines from the travelers. The men were not allowed to enter Poland. The Russian woman, however, decided not to continue her journey to Germany and returned to the Königsberg region.