In Canada, the only flower that seems to make the news for bootlegging and underworld connections is off the top of a marijuana plant. Russia, a country I associate with the baddest of the bad in organized crime, are busy fighting smugglers of roses, tulips, and chrysanthemums. Go figure!
“Operatives of the economic crime department carried out an operation in the Moscow region, seizing two truckloads of flowers worth 600 thousand dollars.
Investigators have ascertained that roses, chrysanthemums and tulips had been shipped to a reloading point in Lithuania and then transported to Russia.
The smugglers tripped to one of warehouses outside Moscow, from which businesses delivered the flowers to Moscow’s markets.
According to investigators, the group, which operated for years, registered the businesses through fronts. The sham companies usually disappeared after a month of operation.
Two nationals of Lithuania and four Russians have been detained in this criminal case and charged with contraband.
Investigators do not rule out the smugglers operated hand in hand with corrupt customs officials. “
POLLENATRIX 