Illicit Trafficking of wallpaper - $ 20 Million

In 2014, Azerbaijan officially imported wallpaper totaling $ 5 million 290.1 thousand, which is three times less than was delivered to neighboring Georgia - 15 million 446.9 thousand. Experts attribute this to corruption high-entrenched in the Azerbaijani customs.

According to the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan, last year Azerbaijan received 6 440.2 tons of wallpaper that is 10% more than the previous year. The cost of the purchase increased by $ 959.3 thousand, or 22.1%, the local customs said.

However, as evidenced by comparative data of the supplier countries, the prices of the wallpaper delivered to Azerbaijan are artificially undervalued. This is undertaken in order to evade customs duties and VAT, and the amount evaded is deposited in cash in the vaults of the State Customs Committee, claim the importers themselves.

According to the National Statistics Committee of Belarus, 341 tons of wallpaper was purchased in this country for import into Azerbaijan in 2014 (+ 1%) and $ 1 million 439.6 thousand (+ 16.8%) was paid to producers. During this period the Azerbaijani customs registered the import of 321.9 tons of Belarusian wallpaper totaling $ 193.8 thousand. In other words, the product passed the Belarusian border at $ 4,221, while the Azerbaijani customs recorded it 7 times cheaper - $ 602 per ton.

Most of all Azerbaijan imported wallpaper from Ukraine. Last year 4,089.8 tons of it was delivered from this country. This is followed by Russian-made wallpaper – 1,115.9 tons.

The most expensive on the Azerbaijani customs is British wallpaper that (1.5 tons) was recorded at a price of $ 13,266 per ton. Probably it was imported by a British company, or the Azerbaijani government.

Italian wallpaper in order to attract to the customs taxes is registered three times less - $ 4,744 per 1 ton, which is about 4 times more than in 2013.

Last year wallpaper to Azerbaijan was also imported from Turkey - 325.7 tons ($ 861.1 thousand), Germany - 232.8 tons ($ 181.2 thousand), China - 226 tons ($ 155.4 thousand), Belgium - 41.5 tons ($ 25 thousand), France - 2.5 tons ($ 1.9 thousand), the Netherlands - 17.3 tons ($ 28.9 thousand) and other countries.

Even on the most modest estimates, the annual trafficking of wallpaper in Azerbaijan is estimated at approximately $ 20 million.

Note that the news agency Turan repeatedly wrote about blatant corruption in the field of foreign trade. However, the police do not respond to that.-08B-