Vitebsk customs detained the driver of a stopped Volkswagen car.[1] The driver was a 40-year-old Belarusian travelling with two other young men as passengers.[1] Officers found hashish, described as an especially dangerous drug, in the driver’s personal belongings.[1] Officers also found drug-use paraphernalia in the possession of one of the passengers.[1] A criminal case was opened against the driver under part 1 of article 328-1 of the Criminal Code.[1]

Officers stopped the Volkswagen, which was travelling from Russia, on 31 July during special measures on the Belarusian-Russian border.[1] A service dog alerted officers to the car by adopting a signal pose.[1] The stop took place on the M1 highway in the area of the border with Russia.[2]

Sputnik describes the article 328-1 charge as unlawful movement of drugs across the customs border.[2] Customs said officers that day selectively stopped several other passenger cars while following up operational information about possible drug transport, but did not carry out customs checks on them.[1] The customs account responded to online reports claiming officers were thoroughly searching cars at the Russia border.[2]