NOVOSIBIRSK, October 8 (RIA Novosti) - Russian border guards have caught a man who tried to smuggle almost 60 kilograms (132 lbs) of Chinese goods in his car tyres, a customs spokesman said on Monday.
The discovery was made as a resident of Russia's Chita region was crossing the Russian-Chinese border early on Saturday. Visual examination revealed no smuggled goods, but the man was obviously nervous, and customs officers continued their inspection of the vehicle.
Customs officers subsequently discovered that three of the car's tyres were stuffed with Chinese-made nightgowns and tracksuit bottoms. The goods have been confiscated, and the would-be smuggler detained.
Under Russian laws the man is likely to face a fine up to three times that of the value of the goods he attempted to illegally bring into the country. He is also liable to lose his car if it is acknowledged as "an instrument of crime".
