“DPR customs”: Rules, restrictions, advice. Part 4

May holidays are coming. It is evident that there will be regular stir along the demarcation line in the Donbas. We are going to tell you how to go through the so-called checkpoints of “DPR”.

“DPR customs”: Rules, restrictions, advice. Part 1

“DPR customs”: Rules, restrictions, advice. Part 2

"DPR customs": Rules, restrictions, advice. Part 3

If the cargo weighs more than 50 kg and is valued at more than € 1,000, “DPR customs” considers it to be goods for sale, not personal luggage. In this case 10% customs duty (of its value) is to be paid. It is better to have receipts confirming the price. Otherwise, “customs officers” will value the goods by themselves, and it will not be in your favour.

There are price lists of customs duties, but they are connected with commercial cargo and goods which are to be declared. For instance, money paid for customs registration of goods (0.2% of the value, but not less than the equivalent of € 20 for each customs declaration; each customs declaration is for not more than € 3,000). Storing goods in the customs warehouse and registration outside customs area are to be paid for too.

For drivers

When passing through “DPR customs” by car, one must have the driving license, the vehicle registration document, and the power of attorney if the driver is not the owner. There is no single entry fee for cars, but there is for buses with more than 10 passenger seats and trucks.

Under “The temporary provision on DPR customs system”, foreigners (foreigners are all people not registered in “DPR”) are allowed to take their vehicle to the “DPR” territory to use it for their personal needs during a year. However, if a vehicle belongs to non-residents and is on the territory of “DPR” for more than 2 months, it is to be registered “at DPR state road police”. The procedure will cost approximately 1,100 roubles (444 Hryvnyas in “DPR central republican bank” or 390 Hryvnyas according to the commercial rate of Ukrainian banks). This requirement exists only on paper as car-owners, those who often visit the territory of Ukraine, do not hurry to be registered in “DPR” bases.

Vehicles staying on “DPR” territory temporarily are not to be used for inside transportation.

Money

Physical persons (irrespective of their age) are allowed to bring currency (as well as traveller’s checks and securities) to the “DPR” territory. The sum must not exceed $3,000 and 10,000 UAH. If the sum is bigger, it should be declared.

It is not allowed to take currency out of the “republic” if the sum exceeds the equivalent of $3,000; if it is in Hryvnyas – not more than 10,000 UAH per each physical person is allowed irrespective of the age, except the cases when the means were brought to “DPR” earlier and were declared. If it happens that the sum exceeds the fixed limit, the physical person will have to go to the “DPR central republican bank” to get the permission. At least, this is what is fixed in “The temporary provisions on DPR customs system” and the “Rules of taking currency in and out of “DPR”.

Sanctions

There are fines and confiscation for the violation of “DPR customs rules. Below there is the list of possible violations and the responsibility for them:

violation of the rules of behaviour in the customs area including crossing the border without the customs office permission.

Punishment: administrative fine:

Physical persons – from 100 to 200 UAH;

Legal persons – from 1,000 to 3,000 UAH;

  transportation of things, documents, etc. in hiding places, using fake documents. Punishment:

– confiscation of such things, documents, and hiding places themselves;

– physical persons: imposing fines from 10 to 15% of the value of the hidden stuff with confiscation of the stuff; legal persons-businesspeople – from 50 to 100% of the value with or without confiscation; 

3) transportation of goods and vehicles for commercial purposes avoiding customs control. Punishment: fine of 100% of the value of the stuff or confiscation; 

4) activities aimed at avoiding paying customs duties or diminishing them. Punishment: 300% of the sum of customs duties which were not paid.

Citizens older than 16 are responsible for violation of “DPR customs rules”.  In each case a report is to be drawn.

If people do not obey the “customs officers’ requirements” or resists,  physical force may be used to them (handcuffs, rubber truncheons, tear gas, and special equipment to stop the vehicle) as well as administrative detention.

The administrative detention may last for three hours to clarify the circumstances. The detention may last for three days and the “DPR prosecutor” is to be informed within 24 hours, and up to 10 day with the “prosecutor’s” sanction if:

– the person tried to bring prohibited objects hiding them in the body;

– the person resists to “DPR customs officials” during personal inspection;

– the person tries to escape from the scene;

– the person prevents the identification.
The person may appeal against the administrative detention to the “customs department” within 24 hours.

Larysa Lisnyak, 112 channel

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