Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Man Faces 20 Years in U.S. Prison On Arms Smuggling Charges

Moskva News Agency

U.S. authorities have arrested a Russian immigrant on suspicion of illegally smuggling restricted firearms parts inside packages of jeans and sneakers into Russia.

Vladimir Kuznetsov, 58, is alleged to have exported parts to assemble sniper rifles and other firearms without licenses “by methodically mislabeling the packages” for two and a half years.

U.S. law enforcement authorities arrested Kuznetsov on Tuesday and charged him with illegally exporting, attempting to export and conspiring to export firearm parts and accessories from the U.S. to Russia.

“Kuznetsov purchased U.S.-origin firearm parts online. ... He then shipped the firearm parts via the U.S. Postal Service to buyers in Russia,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said.

He allegedly concealed the smuggled gun parts in packages alongside jeans, sneakers and blood pressure monitors, as well as in other mislabeled packages, the office said in a statement Tuesday.

Kuznetsov faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

His lawyer told Russia’s state-run RIA Novosti news agency that Kuznetsov has been released on bail.

The Russian Consulate in New York said it was not notified ahead of Kuznetsov’s arrest in the state of Pennsylvania.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more