A large-scale smuggling of mink and muskrat pelts was suppressed in Kyrgyzstan. The State Service for Combating Economic Crimes reports.

Employees of the Financial Police as part of a mobile group detained Scania truck with household goods without relevant supporting documents at Ak-Tilek checkpoint.

Bags with 50,000 animal pelts were found in the cargo compartment of the vehicle during inspection.

According to the State Agency for Environmental Protection of the country, the discovered animal pelts exceed the number of all muskrats in Kyrgyzstan (their population is more than 19,000).

Pre-trial proceedings are ongoing.

The Financial Police recalled that the amount of damage caused per one muskrat is 3,000 soms; if a foreign citizen illegally imported, exported, kept or processed it, the amount of the claim is tripled for each animal.

The amount of claim for a mink pelt for a citizen of Kyrgyzstan is 6,000 soms and 18,000 soms — for a foreigner.