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Day of the customs officer of the Russian Federation. Customs Day in Russia: the history of the holiday International Customs Day

Day of the customs officer Russian Federation- professional holiday of all customs officers of the Russian Federation. Everyone who is related to the customs service takes part in the celebration: inspectors, specialists and heads of the analytics department, the fight against smuggling, the operational-search department. They are joined by teachers, students and graduates of specialized educational institutions.

The Day of the Customs Officer of the Russian Federation in 2020 is celebrated on October 25 and takes place at the official level for the 26th time.

Meaning: the holiday is timed to coincide with the date of the appearance of the Unified Customs Charter 25.101995.

By the Day of the customs officer are held solemn events, on which the first persons congratulate the people involved in the holiday, hand over the honorary titles "Honored Customs Officer of the Russian Federation". By this day, promotions are timed for differences in the service, they enter thank you notes in personal matters.

The content of the article

history of the holiday

The Day of the Customs Officer of Russia is fixed at the official level by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation B. Yeltsin dated August 4, 1995 No. 811. The date of the holiday has a symbolic meaning. It is timed to coincide with the appearance of the Unified Customs Charter on October 25, 1653. Its founder was the royal circular on the collection of duties, signed by the Russian ruler Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. In addition, on October 25, 1991, the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation was established.

Holiday traditions

The first persons of the country are participating in the ceremony of awarding the honorary title "Honored Customs Officer of the Russian Federation" for outstanding achievements in protecting economic security, introducing new technologies and improving the regulatory system. The management promotes the best workers in ranks and positions, makes notes of gratitude in personal files.

Television and radio stations broadcast programs dedicated to the customs service. They tell about the formation and development of the controlling structure, its successes and difficulties.

Task for the day

Think about the most unusual items or goods you have carried during your travels.

The term "customs" came from the tribes of Central Asia. Translated from the Turkic language, it means a brand (tamga) - a sign that was applied to various objects and meant property. During the time of the Golden Horde and Ancient Rus', local princes were paid a trade duty, which was called "myt".
It is believed that the first customs post was located in the area of ancient Palmyra. In this place, archaeologists discovered a stone on which a list of goods (fish, grain, fabrics, etc.) was carved, for which it was necessary to pay tax upon import and export.
During Prohibition in the United States, liquor was smuggled through sea lanes. Carriers prepared in advance for customs inspections at sea and tied a bag of salt or sugar to each box of goods. In case of danger, the goods were dumped into the sea. Over time, sugar and salt dissolved in water and the cargo floated.
In 1958, an unusual consignment of honey was found at the customs of Peru, which contained cocaine. During the investigation, it turned out that the drugs were not mixed into the honey, but got there naturally - the bees were released over the coca fields.
In Malaysia, tourists are fined for importing hair styling products, shoes, powder, cookies and chocolate, telephones, irons, and calendars.
Binoculars, which are regarded as weapons, cannot be imported into Ethiopia.

toasts

“Happy Customs Day! May sorrows, hardships and sorrows not be able to seep through the border of your destiny, and health, love, success and prosperity have only internal passports and never travel beyond it.

“A customs officer is not just a profession, but a “key” to the country. It is able to stop any illegal entry or import of goods. Only such selfless people like you could choose such a noble profession. Wish you career takeoff, easy shifts, prosperity and family well-being. Let everything in your life go smoothly, without tricks and surprises. Work honestly and selflessly. Rest fun and interesting. May everything be perfect in your destiny! Happy Customs Day!

“Our state border is one of the longest in the world, but our gallant customs, no doubt, will keep track of everything! But today, on Customs Day, I want to wish you not only professional achievements but also simple joys of life and fulfillment of desires, as well as good health and good luck, and may your happiness come from all this!

Present

Organizer for documents. Stylish organizer for personal documents in leather binding, with personalized engraving or imprint will serve as a practical and memorable gift.

Accessories for electronic gadgets. Headphones, portable charger, speakers for mobile phone, flash drive, will serve as an excellent gift for connoisseurs of electronic innovations.

Named gift. A personalized mug, apron, T-shirt, comic figurine or goblet will serve as an original present for a lover of pranks and jokes.

Emotion gift. Certificate for visiting the hippodrome, ice rink, piloting an aircraft, flying on hot-air balloon or quad biking will be a wonderful gift for lovers of extreme entertainment.

Contests

Funniest joke contest
The contestants are given time to remember jokes about customs officers, after which they tell them to the audience. The winner is determined by applause and laughter in the hall.

Inspection of things
For the competition, it is necessary to prepare in advance two large suitcases filled with clothes and other items. A postcard with the inscription: “Happy Customs Day!” is hidden in the suitcase. The contestants are given the task to find a secret note in the suitcase as soon as possible. The participant who completes the task first wins.

Delicacies smuggling
Participants of the competition sit on chairs in front of the hall. They are blindfolded and allowed to taste various delicacies, fruits, dishes. Competitors must name the product and identify the intended country or continent from which it may have come. For example: chocolate - Belgium, cheese - Switzerland, persimmon - Spain, pizza - Italy, oysters - France, etc. The winner is the participant who never makes a mistake.

About the profession

The customs officer controls the movement of people, material values across the borders of the state. He collects customs payments and fees, fights smuggling of prohibited goods.

A career begins with an education in a specialized educational institution. A graduate can work in the structures of the Federal Customs Service.

This holiday in other countries

A large number of people and goods are constantly moving between states. These processes must be controlled, which is what customs officers do. These specialists stand at their post around the clock, confidently monitoring the turnover in order to detain intruders and prevent smuggling from Russian territory. It is customs officers who often oppose drug distributors, arms suppliers, smugglers. Therefore, they received a professional holiday, which is celebrated on October 25.

history of the holiday

The date for the holiday was chosen taking into account specific historical events. The customs service was formed back in the distant 17th century, at the same time the main duties of customs officers were designated. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was personally responsible for the development of the basic rules by which the transported goods were controlled. The fact is that it was by his decree that the first customs charter in the country was developed. In that century, customs finally received the status of a public service, guarding and protecting Russian interests.

Over the long history of its existence, this service has been repeatedly reorganized. IN modern form it has existed since 1991, when the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation was created. Somewhat later, in 1995, the corresponding professional holiday was established, after the decree "On the establishment of the Day of the customs officer of the Russian Federation."

Now Russian customs officers are confidently and persistently proving that they work at the level of high European standards, actively using advanced technologies. Job customs authorities assumes more and more active use of the risk analysis and management system operating in the most developed countries of the planet Earth.

The date when the Day of the customs officer is celebrated is October 25. It was fixed by a presidential decree of 08/04/1995 in honor of the anniversary of the appearance of the Unified Customs Charter. What date did the Customs Charter appear? Yes, then - October 25, 1653, under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. He established the procedure for collecting customs duties in Moscow and other Russian cities.

The State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation, which is noteworthy, was established on the same date - October 25, 1991. Russian President Boris Yeltsin issued a decree that formed this department.

RIA News

Before that, in the USSR, customs officers also had a professional holiday, which, however, fell on a different date - May 29. Now this date marks the day of veterans of the customs service.

The profession of a customs officer in Russia

A customs officer is always a civil servant. His duties include control over the movement of people, goods and goods across the state border. Now, when the whole world is fighting international terrorism, the work of a customs officer is especially difficult and responsible. It is the customs officer who is responsible for combating the illegal transport of weapons, drugs, ammunition and other prohibited items across the Russian border.

The personification of the image of a customs officer is Vereshchagin from the film "White Sun of the Desert": he guards the border of a country that no longer exists - the Russian Empire. This character, charming in its own way and devoted to a peculiar idea, fell in love with many viewers and became "the same customs officer." The legendary film "White Sun of the Desert" was watched by several generations of residents of Russia and the Soviet Union.

Customs officer Pavel Vereshchagin. Frame from the movie "White Sun of the Desert"

International day of the customs officer

We know what date the day of the customs officer is celebrated in Russia, but there is another holiday for workers in this profession - international. It is celebrated on January 26th. In Russia, it is also celebrated - along with the usual, Russian day of the customs officer. The fact is that on January 26, 1953, the World Customs Organization was “born”, which now includes Russia.

The profession of a customs officer - where to study, how to enter the customs officer

Many customs officers do not have a special education - these are people who had to study to be an economist or a lawyer. But, of course, specialists with specialized education are more expensive. If you ask industry workers how to apply for a customs officer and where to study, you will get the answer that the Russian Customs Academy graduates the most valuable specialists, graduates in the specialty "Customs" of the St. Petersburg branch are especially valued. You can, however, choose another university.

RIA News

On the website of the university where you decided to study, you will find the answer on how to enter the customs officer. This requires high marks on the Unified State Examination in the Russian language, social studies and foreign language. Also, in some cases, people are accepted who managed to work at customs before receiving education and get a referral.

The salary of a novice customs officer in Moscow is from 30 thousand rubles, in St. Petersburg - from 20. The salary of a more experienced worker in both capitals is 40-45 thousand, and in smaller cities - about 25 thousand.

Day of the customs officer of the Russian Federation falls on October 25th. This day was determined by the order of the President of Russia, back in the mid-90s of the last century.

The memorable day of October 25 has long been significant in history, because it was marked by the appearance of the customs charter. It arose on the basis of the Decree of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, on the introduction of a customs fee in all areas of our state.

Story

The day of the customs officer of the Russian Federation was adopted at the state level by the first Head of the Russian Federation in 1995 of the last century. It was determined by the adoption of the general customs procedure on October 25, 1953. In addition, on October 25, 1991, the customs community was approved at the state level.

When does it pass?

This holiday is celebrated twice a year on October 25 and January 26. October 25 is the professional holiday of the customs officers of our state, and the second date is associated with an international celebration.

In the early 50s of the last century, the World Customs Association was organized, which included more than 15 states. And already in the early 80s of the last century, January 26 was approved as.

Who is celebrating?

The holiday is celebrated by those people who are associated with this profession, their relatives and friends.

Various meetings, banquets, concert programs are organized for representatives of this profession. Congratulations are being prepared in their honor, and poems are being composed. On the holiday, the accumulated problems are also solved. The implementation of goals related to customs activities and timed to coincide with the holiday is actively taking place.

Customs officers celebrate their holiday on a special scale. This date is marked for them by receiving congratulations from leaders, authorities, colleagues, relatives and relatives.

Traditions

Representatives of the government of our state are actively involved in the process of awarding letters of commendation, for various achievements related to economic security, for the introduction of various latest developments and improving the regulatory process. Leaders promote those who have especially distinguished themselves in the rank.

The schedule of television programs includes those dedicated to the professional holiday. It mentions progress in this area, its achievements and difficulties.

About the profession

A customs officer is a specialist who controls the movement of people and goods across borders between countries. He takes customs payments and fees, tries to prevent the illegal transportation of goods. Labor activity originates from studies in higher or special educational institution. Those who have completed the course of study have the right to carry out activities in the field of public service.

Working, adhering to the Customs legislation, customs officers in our country have shown that they can conduct activities, focusing on interethnic norms. In the functioning of the customs authorities, the risk research and control company operating in some states of the world community is increasingly being used.

Today, work is underway to improve customs information systems. There is a development of processes, methods of search, collection, processing and storage of customs surveillance information. Many customs offices have switched to electronic declaration of products using electronic keys for sighting. The functioning of customs groups is being improved.

In the current situation related to the fight that Russia is waging against international terrorism, the activities of customs officials come down to preventing the illegal transportation of weapons, the safe movement of vehicles, and cohesive work together with the law enforcement agencies of the World Customs Organization, which is fighting terrorism.

The name customs came from the tribes of North Asia, and means “Brand” in translation into Russian, that is, a label applied to the goods, which meant ownership.
In the era of the Tatar-Mongol yoke and ancient Rus' local rulers were paid a quitrent called "Myt".
The first customs post was located in the area of old Palmyra. A stone was found here, which indicated the sequence of products for which it was necessary to pay duties on import and export.
When Prohibition was adopted in America, the illegal transportation of liquor was carried out by sea. Those who transported alcohol were already ready to go through customs in advance and attached bags of salt or sugar to the container. In case of danger, the cargo was thrown into the sea, and when the salt and sugar dissolved over time, the container with alcohol floated up.
In the 1950s, honey containing narcotic substances. Studies have shown that the drugs were not hidden in the product, but ended up there naturally, bee hives were near coca plantations.
In Malaysia, travelers are penalized for importing certain cosmetic, confectionery, home appliances.
It is forbidden to import into Ethiopia binoculars regarded as weapons.

Until the holiday "Day of the customs officer of the Russian Federation" left:

On this counter you can keep track of how many days are left until the holiday "Day of the customs officer of the Russian Federation"

In the photo, an employee of the SOBR FCS of the Russian Federation in St. Petersburg.

October 25 has long been considered a significant day in the history of the Russian customs service. It was on this day in 1653 that the Unified Customs Charter first appeared in the country, born from the Decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich on the collection of customs duty"in Moscow and Russian cities".

From that moment, customs became a public service designed to protect economic interests countries. And on October 25, 1991, by the Decree of the President of Russia, the State Customs Committee of the Russian Federation was formed.

The Day of the Customs Officer of the Russian Federation was established by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 811 dated August 4, 1995 “On the Establishment of the Day of the Customs Officer of the Russian Federation”.

The topic of this article is long overdue. But I just got it to work now.

The fight against crime in the field of customs is mainly associated with two articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - article 188 "Smuggling" and 194 "Evasion of customs duties levied on an organization or individual."

But where does some kind of customs SOBR? Or they also ask like this - "why does the customs have special forces"?

This question is asked by ordinary citizens and professionals in the field of customs, then employees and veterans of law enforcement agencies of various departments not only in Russia but also in the CIS countries, with whom I had to communicate on the Internet and in real life. Although, what is the line between the Internet and reality? Probably only temporary.

This will always happen when there is no clarity and completeness of information about the activities of a particular service, its effectiveness and expediency.

I will give here the opinion of Dmitry Sukharev. True, he is a person far from the customs service and does not even know why there are operational services in the customs authorities. But all this is only from illiteracy. He does not understand much, but he undertakes to reason. Only he does not give arguments in favor of his opinion in relation to those "... who goes to the service with one goal - to get fat ..."

"... Why are SOBRs needed? There shouldn't be any SOBRs at all. Our whole country has turned into one kind of stupid and helpless SOBR. They are not only not needed by customs, but also by all other structures that contain them ..."

"... These same SOBRs have now been created literally under any structure that has at least some state money. Is there nowhere else to put them? They will soon be in laundries ..."

“... I don’t understand why you lecture me all the time about the benefits of the customs service? I didn’t say anything bad about customs, as such. Although I could. About how these same hard workers grabbed thousands of bribes for themselves, at the same time, how ordinary (non-customs) campaigners, not receiving a salary, continued to go to work.In our region, there was a case of death of an ordinary guard - from hunger.Two weeks the guy didn't eat anything, but he didn't take it on his paw. I've never heard anything like that about customs officers. EVER. And never will.

I will never respect this audience. As I will never respect traffic cops, whatever you call them. And everyone who goes to the service with one goal - to get fat ... "

"Why does the Customs need its own special detachments? In my opinion, this is a breakthrough initiative of your superiors, who want to have their own militants. But in fact, they are eating people's bread."

"These functions may well be performed by the bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or bailiffs."

"Why in the zone customs control what kind of "sobra"? In Soviet times, they did fine without them, and now they are not needed there. In case of emergency situations, it is possible to involve a rapid response group created in each staff unit of a maximum of 5 people, who, in the absence of emergency situations, perform their usual customs duties.
And whole divisions of some kind of customs councils are not needed and only eat up budget money.

"It's just not clear why some kind of parasites with weapons and in uniform are needed, in huge quantities, in order to" stop " some kind of incomprehensible smuggling (in what form?) "outside the zones of customs points."

"For new positions, loafers, the allocation of huge funds and everything for unemployed thousands (tens of thousands ???) of people. This suits the ordinary Vshivtsevs - to do nothing, receiving some kind of money for it, and the bosses cut large sums and gain weight in structure (high positions, ranks, connections, etc.)."

Sergei Zhukov 2 (2010)

“Well, now tell us, “Why are there sobras in the customs control zone…”? Set a task - complete it ... "

Boris Bezroda 04/01/2010

I won’t dispute the arguments of my opponents for now, especially since they are unfounded, and if Dmitry Sukharev bothered to read on this topic at least on the official website of the FCS, he would have an idea about the operas at customs and what they are doing there. But, as they say, "if the mountain does not go to Mohammed, then Mohammed goes to the mountain."

Why operational customs officers?

OPERATIONAL AND SEARCH ACTIVITIES OF THE CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION - a type of activity carried out by the customs authorities of the Russian Federation in order to identify persons who are preparing, committing an unlawful act recognized by the legislation of the Russian Federation as a crime, the production of an inquiry on which is within the competence of the customs authorities of the Russian Federation, as well as at international inquiries customs organizations, customs and other competent authorities of foreign states in accordance with international treaties and treaties of the Russian Federation on customs issues.

The main task of the power block of the customs service is the detection of plotted, preparing, committed (ongoing), completed crimes, the identification and detection of suspects, objects (persons and objects), objects of criminal encroachment and other things to establish the truth in criminal cases that fall within the competence of the customs authorities RF.

For this purpose, subdivisions have been specially created that carry out ORD and ORM. At the same time, in many cases, the presence or physical intervention of armed officers who own weapons, special hand-to-hand combat techniques, and the ability and skills to detain suspected persons who may resist or oppose operational officers, interrogators or investigators is necessary.

A search in the customs service of Russia is not "know-how" or, as they say now, it is not an innovation recent years, necessary for the theft of money by some customs chiefs from the pocket of the taxpayer, as the mockingbirds say (what else to call them?).

To clarify the historical connection between the activities of the customs authorities of Russia and the same structure in the past, I will begin my story with the history of customs in Russia according to the book by Yu.G. Kislovsky "Smuggling. History and Modernity" 1996. I heard the lectures of this respected author several years ago at the Customs Academy while studying at the Faculty of Law.

Even in the Nominal Decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in 1681, it was said about tough measures envisaged for persons who caused damage to the treasury resulting from a shortfall in duties. In addition, in accordance with it, a search was made for persons involved in smuggling. What is clear from the twentieth article of the Nominal Decree of Alexei Mikhailovich, which I will not quote here. It is on the Internet. And if there are questions, then I can then give a quote in the application.

I hope this is understandable.

But why do customs need special rapid response units (SOBR)?

Special Rapid Response Units (SOBR) provide force support for the operational-search activities of employees of the customs authorities, the prosecutor's office, and the FSB. The main form of action is the conduct of special events and operations in cooperation with subdivisions of customs authorities and subdivisions of other ministries and departments of the Russian Federation. (I have not yet sufficiently explored this part in my works).

Dry words. Little of this is clear to the layman.

An example from life, more precisely from the work of operational services and SOBR of the customs service.

According to official data, as of 2008, there were 58 special rapid response units operating in the customs authorities. total strength 1409 people. In 2008 and 2009, the Sobrovites held over 106,000 special events. As a result of their conduct, in cooperation with law enforcement units of the customs authorities, goods and vehicles worth more than 511 million rubles were detained. 337 criminal cases and 3374 cases of administrative offenses were initiated.

Special rapid response units, in cooperation with customs officers and other law enforcement agencies, are constantly involved in special operations at the regional and federal levels, such as "Almaz", "Forest", "Vostok", "Patrol", "Barrier", "Barrier", " Putin”, “Skoroport”, etc. aimed at preventing and suppressing offenses and crimes in the field of customs.

To carry out such complex and responsible tasks, SOBR is provided with modern special equipment: air, sea and river vessels, as well as vehicles.

SOBR sometimes have to risk their lives in fulfilling their assigned tasks. The leadership of the FCS of Russia highly appreciates the merits of the customs special forces.

What is behind the statistics and official data of the customs service of Russia? Behind these dry numbers are people. I note worthy. And I'm not very pleased when I hear swear words addressed to them. SOBR is despised without hiding it.

"Immeasurable contempt arouses in the despised a sense of his own greatness."

Victor Hugo

In the same outfit with me were guys from different regions of the SOBR units of the customs authorities. Met someone once. And with whom, side by side, we spent more than one day together, being on patrol, waiting for violators in an ambush, detaining alleged criminals when they committed illegal actions. We spent a lot of time together - worked and rested. Of course, there were no conversations. Some of them I present here to the readers.

Behind these conversations lies the invisible side of the service of hundreds of people in uniform. Sobrovtsy on the border are working with full dedication. According to the information provided by FSB and FCS operatives, the activities of smugglers are stopped. Organize ambushes for possible ways following the transport of persons carrying smuggled goods.

Fedor T., captain of the customs service, SWAT of the Bryansk customs:

We have to detain border violators almost every day. That's easy to do. They made a ditch across the field. Through which two thick boards are laid and they are driven by cars or carts. Why are you laughing? Is it true. Carts carry no less than cars. They are neither heard nor seen. And the horse will not be removed. And he will either knock together a cart or buy it. The blessing pays off quickly and easily. They can do it anywhere and anytime. The smugglers are mostly local either from the Russian side or from the Ukrainian side. What else can they do? Collective farms were closed, production was bought up by Moscow oligarchs back in the nineties and also went bankrupt. There is no work. Or go somewhere or drink vodka. And then the border and nimble little men appeared. Good money was promised. People need to survive. This is where they do smuggling. Police and border guards? They are in the share. Even when we are driving, they are informed. Have you seen grannies selling seeds in front of the customs? So these are gangster "chips". We leave the territory and they immediately call the bandits from their mobile phones and tell them that SOBR has left. Each call is worth one hundred dollars. Seeds are so - a legend - a cover. That's how we work.

Alexey S., captain of the customs service, SOBR of the Bryansk customs:

A month ago, a local resident from a village located three kilometers from the Ukrainian border was detained. He was transporting three bales of Chinese clothes from the other side on a cart drawn by a horse. He made three or four such "flights" a day. To the question - how much does he earn per day? He answered that he works for a bottle of vodka. But apparently, vodka is expensive and takes money. Since he built a three-story mansion, issued to his mother, a pensioner, and bought a Mitsubishi Pajero "in full stuffing", also issued to his mother. And my mother has a pension of eight thousand rubles. Well, what could they do? They filed an "administrative file" (a case of an administrative offense), the documents were sent to the department of administrative investigations. The guys "cut down the stick" while sitting in the office. And we are again in the rain or in the heat with machine guns to the border. What's with the cart? Vehicle should be removed. The sealed cart stands on the territory of the customs post, but no one will put the horse on allowance, there is no one to feed. They gave it back to the owner. A day later they saw him on this nag, but he was carrying hay on a new cart. Probably, he continues to carry bales of clothes again. We will come from a business trip and catch it again. Let's put the second cart on a joke.

This is what else! - his colleague Artur continues the conversation, - one such "huckster" (trader - ed.) has his own temporary storage warehouse (temporary storage warehouse - ed.), illegal, of course. He bought several village houses. All demolished. He fenced off the territory with a three-meter fence with barbed wire. And several trucks with goods are driven to it at once for reloading. Police? Knows of course! He and the head of the Internal Affairs Directorate and the prosecutor take a steam bath in the bathhouse and go hunting together. Do you know what kind of hunting is in our forests? Come!

Oleg K., senior lieutenant of the customs service, SOBR Rostov customs:

At the end of May, in a field on a country road, not far from the border with Ukraine, we catch a "loaf" (UAZ) chock-full of strawberries for sale. Offered dollars. Everyone was afraid that it would go bad. Delivered with completed documents to the customs post. But he was out of there twenty minutes later. Who did we release? Yes. Was. Also in the field, a man rode along the boards in a "NIVA". I was carrying a lot of food in the car. Almost a "piece of bucks". They began to check the documents. He turned out to be a father of many children - eight children. To feed this horde, it is purchased in Ukraine. But he doesn’t go through the checkpoint because at the two borders he either needs to “bash” money, or everything will be taken away. This is how he drives. Might be for sale. But not the scale. He does it to feed his family. Released. But then, with one chief from UTU, they were on patrol there and this one fell for sin. "Yutushnik" forced him to issue. Ten kilograms of sausage, ten kilograms of lard and a leg of lamb. And the real smuggler was caught, so he sat down with him in the cab of his truck and left such a satisfied one. Ordered to let go. I hate these bastards...

Andrey P., major of the customs service, SOBR of the Samara customs:

Somehow they caught up with a violator of the state border who was driving a KAMAZ truck. They signaled to him as best they could. He didn't let me overtake, but we were on a "goat" (UAZ Hunter). Engaged in the chase. Then he began to shoot from the AKSU into the air. But he doesn't stop. When they nevertheless caught up and detained the violator, he said that he did not hear us and did not see us. Lied, of course. Carried expensive goods. Then, while sitting in a pre-trial detention center, he wrote complaints to the Prosecutor's Office about me, as a senior, and that he could have killed him with machine gun shots. A few months "unsubscribed".

Anton D., Captain of the Customs Service, SOBR Belgorod Customs:

There was a case when equipment was pulled up to the border with Ukraine on the other side in a day. The border guards reported that from a helicopter they saw about two thousand trucks not far away. During the night they made a clearing through the forest, leveled the ground with bulldozers. They were followed by over 3,000 trucks. Well, what could the three of us do against them? Nobody provided help. They just said not to write a report about it. The authorities do not need publicity. So we passed. I don't know how there.

Alexander T., Major of the Customs Service, SOBR of the Belgorod Region:

And after the detention of the violator of the border, we roll back the masks and do scribbling. We draw up all documents for the "criminal" or "administrative" ourselves. The elder runs around the offices and collects all the papers, files them up and hands them over to these "clean people" in the offices who should be doing this. But there are those who are engaged in work, and there are those who skim the "cream" ...

Alexander K., captain of the customs service, SOBR of the Kaliningrad customs:

Somehow we were at a joint event with border guards. They caught shuttles dropping goods from trains. Night. Dark. We go without lanterns - we comb the forest belt. Suddenly, an aunt with a checkered bag jumps out of the bushes at me. I thought I was going to die of fear...

Nikolai I., Lieutenant Colonel of the Customs Service, SOBR Voronezh Region:

What? You say you study at the customs academy. And they say that only six or eight percent of smuggling is detained? It is even bent. Lie, in a word. Even what is arrested is sold to the same "hucksters". Here, listen. We detain twenty trucks with smuggling. In the same place, ten minutes later, a businessman in a "Pradik" appears on the road and immediately offers to release the goods for twenty thousand "greens". We refuse, they say, we have already reported to the authorities. And he tells us that if we do not release his car, then the customs will give five thousand for the car and the issue will be resolved. We answer him that it will not work, there are inspectors from Moscow. And then he says that in Moscow for ten for each car they will give and let go. Here's how...

Why is it all here? In order to see in these people the living, and not the "official".

Sergei Zhukov 2 said about the USSR that there were no such units there. But at the border since the late twenties, issues have been raised with the capture of border violators with the help of local residents who were stimulated economically, that is, there was work, there were essential goods to meet their needs. Now the locals have no jobs and livelihoods. The state forgot about them. And they, like hundreds of years ago, are engaged in smuggling. This natural process must be eradicated. Of course, not by such "draconian" methods as some hotheads suggest - to transplant everyone. Can you imagine how many people it is? Prisons are already filled to overflowing. This is the first.

Second. In Soviet times, there was no such trade turnover and there was no such a catastrophic situation in the economy as it is now. Smuggling, on the other hand, is a "litmus test", a kind of indicator of the state of the economy in the state.

Returning to the history of this issue, were there units similar to modern SOBR before? I will answer that they were.

In connection with the growth of attempts to covertly transport goods past customs, according to the Decree of the Great Sovereign of July 11, 1698, military patrols numbering from thirty to forty archers were introduced in the vicinity of Verkhoturye.

The same measures were taken in other regions of the Russian state. The same tasks that were set before the archers of the late seventeenth century are also prescribed for modern customs officers.

Speaking of taxpayer money wasted on such services, as some people say. Back in tsarist times, they recognized the fact that the growth of the professionalism of smugglers, their close connection with the commercial and industrial world required certain costs to fight them, which justified themselves.

Thus, according to official data, each ruble invested in a customs officer brings real income to the state of more than nine thousand rubles. This is despite the fact that the customs officer is dressed in uniform, they are paid a salary and socially they do not deprive customs officers, of course, these costs are less than in the USA or Argentina. And, probably, every customs officer spoke on the subject of what he lacks or lacks. All in all, it does its job.

Dmitry Sukharev believes that the search (operational-search activity) and probably the inquiry is not the business of customs officers. Probably so. Perhaps he is right. But the legislation of Russia assumes for the customs service such functions that are due to the present moment and historical continuity. Even the Nominal Decrees of the tsars of the Russian Empire were supposed to customs officers and border guards to search for persons involved in smuggling, then detain them and bring them to justice. Which is fine now too.

If Dmitry Sukharev and others with him, who believe that all customs officers should be jailed and law enforcement functions removed, so be it. But who will carry out the control functions of customs officers? Who will monitor activities commercial organizations V customs, during foreign economic activity? Who will fight smuggling? Police? FSB? Or, as suggested by Sergei Zhukov 2, that bailiffs would do this? Let them make changes to the legislation and, in accordance with this, reform the services. Dmitry Sukhorev is only capable of putting everyone in prison, but he does not offer anything constructive in return.

What are the fellows doing at the border?

I answer. Catch smugglers at the border. Is it their business? While them. So it was hundreds of years before the Soviets. But then military units of archers, Cossacks and then special customs horse patrols were engaged in this. It was the same with Soviet power until the sixties. The only difference is only in the name, technical and material equipment. But the tactics have not changed fundamentally.

Is it the business of customs officers to search for smugglers?

Even Peter 1 in 1702 establishes fiscal officers in customs, who were engaged in the search for persons involved in smuggling.

This is not accepted by Dmitry Sukhorev and others like him, since the former fellow member is a priori stupider than them, which touches them very much. But that's not the point. What do I care if someone thinks they are smarter than me? Absolutely nothing. Moreover, customs officers are despised. Although, many, many do not know. Despite the fact that not all customs officers are scoundrels, that everyone cannot be bastards. Just as not all policemen are like the former police major Yevsyukov, who killed several people on a drunken bench. Not everyone is like those policemen who in the village of Kushchevskaya in the Krasnodar Territory covered up the crimes of bandits and became crooks themselves. Everyone can't be scoundrels. But they are probably everywhere and have been at all times.