Smuggling of goods could be decriminalized

The offense of smuggling goods will be excluded from the Criminal Code, but will remain part of the Customs Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses, under a bill to this effect. Customs Service head Tudor Balitchi noted that the court sentences issued during 2009-2011 show that in most cases people charged with smuggling were relieved of criminal responsibility and sanctioned only with a fine. According to Balitchi, the fines provided by the Customs Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses will be increased once contraband is excluded from the Criminal Code. The fines will rise to equal the value of the smuggled goods, and the goods be get confiscated. If confiscation is impossible, the Customs institution will take the goods' worth in cash. Criminal liability still holds in the case of contraband of narcotics, munitions, radioactive substances, as well as objects of cultural value. In order to become effective, the bill must be endorsed by Parliament.