Feds Bust $50M Electronics Smuggling Scheme Run Out Of Brooklyn

BROOKLYN, NY — A Brooklyn smuggling ring that sent millions of dollars worth of stolen electronics to Russia has been busted after a years-long investigation, prosecutors announced.

Ten people involved with the ring — at least eight of whom are from Brooklyn — were charged Monday for the scheme, which used Aeroflot Airline employees and other "couriers" to carry hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of electronics from New York to Russia.

“If you believe it is acceptable to exploit positions with a foreign airline to smuggle millions of dollars in illegal goods back to Russia as we allege, the answer is Nyet," said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney. "While this international smuggling ring’s activities demonstrate vulnerabilities exist, it also highlights that the combined efforts of federal agents, detectives, analysts and prosecutors are a powerful counter to any threat."

Investigators first caught onto the smuggling ring almost three years ago when law enforcement officials noticed that Aeroflot Airline employees were repeatedly carrying "numerous electronic devices" on their flights from John F. Kennedy Airport to international destinations, usually Moscow, according to court documents.

Authorities who searched the crew members found high-value Apple products, including iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches in their bags, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth at a time.

Over the three-year investigation, the ring made dozens of smuggling trips between New York and Russia, hiding the electronics to avoid reporting requirements on exports so that they could resell them in Russia, prosecutors said. Many of the electronics were stolen.

The leader of the ring, Sayuz Daibagya, would send instructions from Russia to the group, who would get the devices from the United States and have Aeroflot Airlines crew members come pick them up.

The Department of State revoked 113 visas of Aeroflot employees who participated in the scheme, authorities said.

The Brooklyn residents charged include Akmal Asadov, Anton Perevoznikov, Shohruh Saidov, Marat Shadkhin, Kirill Sokhonchuk, Zokir Iskanderov and Azamat Bobomurodov. Authorities are still searching for two additional defendants, who are fugitives, prosectors said.