Poland arrests 5 in birch plywood sanctions evasion investigation

29 December 2025

The National Revenue Administration (KAS) and Maritime Border Guard Unit (MOSG) have arrested 5 people suspected of breaching EU sanctions on Russia and Belarus by importing birch plywood timber to Poland.

According to KAS, the investigation concerns Russian and Belarussian birch plywood which is said to have been imported to Poland under false declarations of origin so that it could be traded on the EU market. The plywood was imported with certificates of origin from Kazakhstan and Türkiye, both of which were said to be potential routes for sanctions circumvention in the EU’s March 2025 sanctions alert.

Article 3i of Regulation (EU) 833/2014 and Article 1o of Regulation (EU) 765/2006 prohibit imports of wood products, including birch plywood, from Russia and Belarus respectively. If convicted, the suspects face a potential prison sentence of at least 3 years.