Latest news with #FederalCustomsService
The Independent
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
American woman arrested at Moscow airport with a gun and check for $138,000, Russian authorities claim
An American-Russian woman, who lives in the United States, was arrested at a Moscow airport, accused of attempting to bring a gun into the country, authorities have said. The woman, who has not been named, was also carrying a check for $138,000 in her luggage. The suspect was stopped in a random check as she attempted to leave Vnukovo airport in the green lane designated for passengers who have nothing to declare, Russia's Federal Customs Service said in a statement. 'The suitcase was found to contain an American Colt Commander, .45 caliber with three empty magazines,' the statement continued. Officials posted pictures of the gun and the magazines on social media. The woman, who was traveling from Turkey, said that she did not think she had to declare the gun or the check, Russian authorities said. She is now facing criminal charges. U.S. citizens in Russian custody have long been a point of contention between the two countries. In May, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a possible prisoner exchange involving nine people from each side, according to Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov. A source close to the Kremlin said the U.S. side has previously provided Moscow with a list of nine Americans jailed in Russia that Washington wants to have returned. Tensions between the White House and the Kremlin are high, with Trump turning on Putin with a series of statements regarding the war in Ukraine and his renewed pledge of further military aid to Kyiv. This week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his 'willingness to support Ukraine.' In Kyiv, resident Nina Tokar, 70, said Tuesday that with more U.S. weapons going to Ukraine, 'maybe this will all end faster.' However, following Trump's threat late last week to impose major sanctions on Russia for failing to reach a deal to end the fighting, the American president said Monday that Moscow would get 50 days to come to a settlement or face 'very severe' economic sanctions. While some believe strict tariffs on Moscow could be a game changer, the decision to postpone them until September struck some European observers as being too long. Ukrainian officials made no direct comment about the 50-day window, but for Russia, the delay of new sanctions came as a reprieve.
CBS News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
American-Russian woman arrested at Moscow airport for allegedly smuggling gun in her suitcase
Russian customs agents arrested a Russian-American woman at a Moscow airport for trying to bring a gun into the country in her suitcase, officials said Friday. Russia's Federal Customs Service said the woman, an unnamed dual citizen, was travelling from the United States via Turkey and was stopped at Moscow Vnukovo airport. "Vnukovo customs officers stopped the illegal import of a pistol and a bank check worth $138,000," it said on social media. The Federal Customs Service of Russia said on social media that officers had stopped her during a random control check in the green lane of the customs corridor of the airport, used by passengers who do not have goods to declare. "The suitcase was found to contain an American Colt Commander, .45 caliber with three empty magazines," it said, while posting an image of the purported gun and magazines. The woman -- who lives in the United States -- had said she was "unaware of the need to declare the goods," it added. Russia -- which has strict gun laws -- opened a criminal case against her for smuggling firearms. Russia has imprisoned several Americans as tensions with Washington soared in recent years. Paul Whelan, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and teacher Marc Fogel were all designated wrongfully detained by the U.S. government, along with dual U.S.-Russian national Ksenia Karelina. All four of those Americans have been freed in prisoner swaps with Moscow. Among the U.S. nationals still jailed in Russia is U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, whose three-year, nine-month prison sentence for robbing and threatening his Russian girlfriend was reduced in April by seven months. Robert Gilman, 72, is currently serving a 3 1/2-year sentence in Russia for assaulting a police officer, and Travis Leake, a musician convicted on drug charges, was sentenced to 13 years in prison last summer. A Russian court sentenced another 72-year-old American, Stephen Hubbard, to nearly seven years in prison last October for fighting alongside Ukraine's military. More recently, American Joseph Tater was arrested in Russia in August 2024 after an apparent tussle with hotel staff and then forcibly admitted to a psychiatric hospital this April. He left Russia last month, state media reported, without ever standing trial.
Al Arabiya
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Russia arrests US-Russian woman at airport for allegedly smuggling gun
Russian customs agents arrested a Russian-American woman at a Moscow airport for trying to bring a gun into the country in her suitcase, officials said Friday. Russia's Federal Customs Service said the woman, a dual citizen, was travelling from the United States via Turkey and was stopped at Moscow Vnukovo airport. 'Vnukovo customs officers stopped the illegal import of a pistol and a bank cheque worth $138,000,' it said on social media. The customs service said officers had stopped her during a random control check in the green lane of the customs corridor of the airport, used by passengers who do not have goods to declare. 'The suitcase was found to contain an American Colt Commander, .45 caliber with three empty magazines,' it said. The woman -- who lives in the United States -- had said she was 'unaware of the need to declare the goods,' it added. Russia -- which has strict gun laws -- opened a criminal case against her for smuggling firearms. Moscow has arrested several US citizens since launching its Ukraine offensive in 2022 -- but the trend has slowed since Donald Trump returned to the White House.
News.com.au
18-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Russia arrests US-Russian woman accused of smuggling gun
Russian customs agents arrested a Russian-American woman at a Moscow airport for trying to bring a gun into the country in her suitcase, officials said Friday. Russia's Federal Customs Service said the woman, a dual citizen, was travelling from the United States via Turkey and was stopped at Moscow Vnukovo airport. "Vnukovo customs officers stopped the illegal import of a pistol and a bank cheque worth $138,000," it said on social media. The customs service said officers had stopped her during a random control check in the green lane of the customs corridor of the airport, used by passengers who do not have goods to declare. "The suitcase was found to contain an American Colt Commander, .45 calibre with three empty magazines," it said. The woman -- who lives in the United States -- had said she was "unaware of the need to declare the goods," it added. Russia -- which has strict gun laws -- opened a criminal case against her for smuggling firearms. Moscow has arrested several US citizens since launching its Ukraine offensive in 2022 -- but the trend has slowed since Donald Trump returned to the White House.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Time of India
Russia arrests US-Russian woman accused of smuggling gun
AI- Representative Image MOSCOW: Russian customs agents arrested a Russian-American woman at a Moscow airport for trying to bring a gun into the country in her suitcase, officials said Friday. Russia's Federal Customs Service said the woman, a dual citizen, was travelling from the United States via Turkey and was stopped at Moscow Vnukovo airport. "Vnukovo customs officers stopped the illegal import of a pistol and a bank cheque worth $138,000," it said on social media. The customs service said officers had stopped her during a random control check in the green lane of the customs corridor of the airport, used by passengers who do not have goods to declare. "The suitcase was found to contain an American Colt Commander, .45 calibre with three empty magazines," it said. The woman- who lives in the United States- had said she was "unaware of the need to declare the goods," it added. Russia- which has strict gun laws- opened a criminal case against her for smuggling firearms. Moscow has arrested several US citizens since launching its Ukraine offensive in 2022- but the trend has slowed since Donald Trump returned to the White House.
