A 40-year-old Russian citizen has been detained at Pulkovo Airport after customs officers caught him carrying 33,000 US dollars in undeclared currency.
The traveler was arriving in Saint Petersburg on a transit route from Cyprus by way of Istanbul, according to a report by regional news outlet 78.ru citing Russia's Federal Customs Service.
When entering the international arrivals hall, the passenger chose to pass through the green corridor, indicating that he had no goods or cash requiring formal declaration. A customs inspector stopped the man to inquire about how much physical money he was carrying. The passenger stated that he had 10,000 US dollars on him.
Customs officers conducted a manual count of his cash and uncovered that he was carrying 33,000 US dollars, revealing that he had lied about the total amount. Following the discovery, the passenger explained that he had kept the money stored in a bank account in Cyprus for a long period. After withdrawing the cash, he boarded a flight directly to Saint Petersburg without paying attention to customs requirements. Authorities noted that the passenger subsequently admitted his guilt and repented for the infraction.
Customs operations at Saint Petersburg hub
Pulkovo Airport, located south of Saint Petersburg city center, serves as the main international gateway for Russia's second-largest city. International customs stations employ a dual-channel border system designed to streamline passenger processing. Travelers selecting the green corridor state by action that their baggage contains no controlled items or cash above legal limits, whereas the red corridor is reserved for travelers submitting written customs declarations.
The Federal Customs Service is the Russian government agency charged with managing border checkpoints, enforcing import duties, and preventing unlawful financial outflows. Flights connecting through Istanbul Airport in Turkey have become a primary transit corridor for travelers moving between Southern Europe or Mediterranean destinations like Cyprus and Russian airports.
Cyprus is an island nation in the eastern Mediterranean that maintains extensive commercial ties and historic banking links with Russian account holders. Russian border inspection facilities routinely monitor incoming passengers for undeclared items. In a separate incident at a Russian airport customs post, administrative proceedings were launched against a tourist who attempted to transport an animal skull through inspection as a souvenir for friends.
