MOSCOW, March 16 (RAPSI) – The Investigative Committee of Russia has proposed to introduce administrative and criminal liability for distance selling alcohol, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday.

The Committee has made these suggestions in connection with alcohol industry regulation hearings at the Federation Council. 

Other measures to combat unlawful alcohol sales include banning of the websites distributing prohibited alcohol products as well as significant tightening of the penalties, from 2 to 4 years in prison, for producing, storing and transportation of the alcohol that doesn’t meet Russian safety standards.

According to the Committee, every third bottle of alcohol on the Russian market is not accounted for by the regulator. Often these unaccounted products contain harmful, potentially lethal elements, such as methanol. Because of that the Committee suggests changing appropriate article of the Russian Criminal Code by introducing additional aggravating circumstances such as “causing grave harm to a person’s health” and “causing death to a person”.