Polish national detained in Russia – RT Russia and the former Soviet Union
Diplomatic passport holder caught in FSB sting, allegedly accepting bribe for falsifying import documents
A Polish citizen holding a diplomatic passport was allegedly involved in alcohol trafficking in Moscow. The Russian internal security agency FSB accused her of accepting a bribe in exchange for false documents that would have allowed the importation of duty-free spirits.
Malgorzata Ewa Boksznajder, an employee of the International Bank for Economic Cooperation (IBEC), was caught in an undercover operation that was part of an investigation into a smuggling operation, the FSB said in a press release on Wednesday.
It released footage that appeared to show the Polish national taking a package – which contained banknotes marked with invisible ink – from another person. The woman could be heard joking that the two had « acted like spies » during the exchange. She was later detained by FSB agents and exposed as an accomplice to the criminal scheme, the agency reported.
According to Russian law enforcement, Boksznajder intended to use his position as head of the marketing section of IBEC’s Department of Strategic Planning and Analysis to deliver falsified import documents to customs. Russians. The documents allegedly incorrectly identify the products as being destined for a foreign diplomatic mission and therefore not subject to import duties, according to prosecutors.
IBEC is a Moscow-based financial institution established to facilitate trade between participating states. The list of members includes Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia and Vietnam.
The FSB said it busted the smuggling operation in October and seized more than 40 tons of illegally imported alcohol worth more than $2 million as it unraveled the scheme. Three Russian nationals living in Moscow have also reportedly been charged with crimes related to that city. The agency did not say whether it had evidence of wrongdoing by Boksznajder before the sting operation.
The Polish national was arrested while receiving what was believed to be a €20,000 ($20,790) bribe, the FSB claimed. As she enjoys diplomatic status, she cannot be prosecuted under Russian law for her alleged role. Instead, the Russian Foreign Ministry declared his persona non grata and ordered him to leave Russia within a week, authorities said.
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