Article 195. Customs inspection

Customs inspection shall involve opening the packaging of goods or a vehicle cargo compartment or tanks, containers and other places where goods are or can be located, removing the seals, stamps or other means of customs identification affixed on them, disassembly, dismantling or breaching integrity of the inspected objects and their parts in other ways.

As a rule, customs inspection shall be conducted after acceptance of a customs declaration for goods with presence of a declarant. However, customs inspection can be conducted before acceptance of a customs declaration for goods, when the following is necessary:

identification of goods for customs purposes;

establishing accuracy of presented information;

verification of information on violation of customs legislation;

conducting customs control based on a risk management system in compliance with the principle of selective inspection;

exercising the rights of a declarant according to Article 275 of this Code.

Live animals and perishable goods are subject to customs inspection as a matter of priority.

At the request of customs officials, authorized individuals shall be present during customs inspection of goods and vehicles and provide necessary assistance. If authorized individuals are absent, a driver of the inspected vehicle can serve in this capacity.

A customs authority official shall have the right to conduct a customs inspection in the absence of authorized individuals with presence of two witnesses in the following cases:

failure of authorized individuals to make appearance after five working days after making goods and vehicles available;

the existence of a real threat to state security, public order, life and health of people, animals and plants, the environment, the preservation of cultural values and under other circumstances that do not tolerate delay (including if there are signs indicating that the goods are flammable substances, explosive objects, explosive, toxic, dangerous chemicals and biologically active substances, narcotic drugs and their analogues, precursors, psychotropic, poisonous, toxic, radioactive substances, nuclear materials, weapons, ammunition for it and other similar goods, as well as if the goods spread an unpleasant odor);

sending goods as international postal and courier shipments;

leaving goods and (or) vehicles in the customs territory in violation of conditions of a customs regime which dictates export of goods and (or) vehicles out of this territory.