Poland’s tax administration has imposed a large fine on a Krakow-based company that was found to have violated sanctions against Belarus and Russia.
As the Polish state body reported, the company, managed by Belarusian citizens, purchased luxury cars in Western European countries in 2022-23. The vehicles were then exported outside the European Union. A scheme of false transit was used. Although the cars in fact remained in Russia, other destinations were listed in the documents. Exports of cars worth more than $50,000 from the European Union to Russia have been banned under sanctions since March 2022. Since 2024, a similar ban has also been extended to Belarus.
In total, more than 100 vehicles worth more than 49 million zlotys (more than $13.6 million) were exported. The cars were transported through Poland, Lithuania and Belarus.
“The collected evidence indicates that the company’s managers acted knowingly and deliberately to circumvent sanctions. The head of the Małopolska Customs and Tax Office issued an administrative decision imposing a fine of up to 20 million zlotys ($5.5 million – editor’s note) on the company for violating sanctions. This is one of the largest cases of its kind in Poland and a clear signal that violating international sanctions carries serious consequences”, the tax administration said.
