Tax free, X-ray scanner, 4 dogs and a detector – that’s how the Tatarstan Customs will meet the 2018 World Cup

At the Kazan airport, journalists have learned how customs officers will provide the safety of fans, athletes and townspeople.

(KZN.RU, March 27, Ekaterina Vislavskaya). During the 2018 FIFA World Cup Tatarstan Customs of the Kazan International Airport will attract employees fr om other customs authorities, told the head of the Kazan Airport’s customs post, Lieutenant-Colonel of Mirzanur Garayev during the press release. Journalists visited the city's air harbor and saw with their own eyes how customs officers will provide the safety of fans, sportsmen and city residents in summer.

Now 72 employees, including cynologists, work at the customs post at the airport. There are also 4 dogs in the staff. Last year, almost 920 thousand passengers passed through the customs post in both directions, both for arrival and for departure. This year, considering the FIFA championship and the opening of new regular flights, customs officers expect to overcome the mark of one million people.

As for violations, this year in Kazan psychotropic substances, mostly undeclared drugs, alcohol and tobacco products, began to be taken less often. However, customs officers often find weapons in the baggage of passengers, for example, telescopic batons, brass knuckles, shurikens, which Russian legislation refers to the category of steel arms. This items are taken away snd sent for examination, the results of which are resolved the issue of penalizing a passenger to administrative and even criminal liability.

Violations among travelers most often are connected with the currency and medicines. By the words of the deputy head of the Kazan airport customs station, Vyacheslav Kim, travelers should be more attentive when choosing souvenirs in antique salons, because it can be regarded as "cultural values."

Tatarstan Customs has experience in working during such a major event as the World Cup - they hosted the 2013 Universiade, the World Aquatics Championship of 2015 and other international events. It is assumed that the colleagues fr om the Kazan customs post and the newly created Kazan postal customs post will give assistance to customs.

Customs officers are preparing for this boom during the championship – there will be more passengers due to additional flights. It is already known about direct charter flights from France, Iran and Germany. In addition, athletes will fly to Kazan, and not only for matches - the two teams will be based here. Preparations for the meeting of the guests have already begun. For example, customs officers have prepared phrase books in four languages: Russian, English, French and German - and there are special memos, which describe the rules for carrying baggage, for passengers on the information stands in the customs control zone.

Another feature of customs this summer is the introduction of tax-free system. This system will work in all participating cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Foreigners will receive the right of refunding the tax, paid during purchasing in Russian, including Kazan, shopping centers.

The customs post at the airport works round the clock in four shifts. After getting off the plane, passengers get into the terminal, take their luggage and pass passport control. Specialists check the documents and find out whether each individual is allowed to enter Russia. "The legality of the person's stay in the territory is checked by the border guard service, and the customs service checks the legality of the luggage and carried items," the head of the customs post mentioned.

After that, tourists, and future fans, need to make a choice - go to the red or green customs corridor. Of course, it is not connected with personal preferences - the second option is for those, who do not carry items requiring a declaration. People who have such things on their hands go to the red pass. "The list is wide enough, but most often it’s cash in the amount of more than 10 thousand US dollars, both imported and exported, imported alcohol in quantities of more than three liters per adult, tobacco products over 200 cigarettes, psychotropic drugs, as well as weapons and ammunition, "- explained Vyacheslav Kim.

The entrances to both corridors are located side-by-side, parallel to each other. In order of avoiding violations, it is necessary to fill out the passenger customs declaration.

At the entrance to the red corridor, passengers can meet the dogs, specially trained to recognize drugs, cash and explosives. Sheepdogs, labradors, spaniels and yak-terriers are in the state of the customs post - now there are four such specialists at the airport. "There are certain so-called drug-hazardous flights, in which we use dogs trained to search for drugs. Usually these are routes, wh ere passengers have been already caught with drugs, "said the chief state customs inspector Vladislav Okashin.

A cynologist with a "partner" wait for passengers at the entrance to the customs control zone. After smelling the forbidden substances in the luggage or on the body of a person, the dog runs after him and makes sounds, letting know who exactly has broken the law. Such a "customs officer" can find out the violator even in a crowd, but there are items that cannot be found with the help of a scent - in this case, the customs post is equipped with stationary and mobile technical devices.

At the very beginning of the red corridor, people suspected of carrying something forbidden are asked to pass through the scanner - the radiographic contour. It looks like a tall metal cockpit with windows, wh ere two directed X-rays act on a person.

Customs officers also have an instrument for detecting radiation, an ion-drift detector for finding explosive and narcotic substances. Employees inspect not only passengers, but also planes. Previously, they used inspection mirrors, but now there is a portable television screening system. After successful overcoming the customs control zone, passengers will be able to cross the airport threshold and get to Kazan, the third capital of Russia.

As the reminding, the Football World Cup 2018 will be held from June 14 to July 15. In Kazan, there will be 6 matches, including one quarterfinal.