Lithuanian customs officials have detained two Tesla Cybertrucks on suspicion that the electric vehicles were being shipped to Russia via Belarus in violation of EU sanctions.
The two trucks, manufactured in 2023 and valued at over 200,000 euros each, were detained at the Šalčininkai border checkpoint with Belarus on May 7, the Customs said on Wednesday.
Customs officials refused export procedures for the vehicles allegedly bound for Belarus and opened a pre-trial investigation for breach of international sanctions and smuggling.
They suspect that the Tesla Cybertrucks were meant to be transported and registered in Russia. EU sanctions on the export of passenger cars to the country have been in place since 2014.
Both vehicles are currently held by the Lithuanian Customs. Their drivers were released after questioning.
The Lithuanian customs authorities say they have tightened controls on the export of luxury passenger cars to third countries.
Last year, officials found that almost one in two cars worth 50,000 euros or more exported from the EU to Kazakhstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, and other non-EU countries ended up in Russia.
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