FSB prevents illegal transportation of church bells to Thailand

YEKATERINBURG, December 22 (Itar-Tass) - Agents of the Yekaterinburg
department f the Federal Security Service (FSB) have prevented an attempt
to smuggle church bells from Russia to Thailand.
The FSB agents jointly with Customs officers of Koltsovo airport in
Yekaterinburg confiscated seven church bells believed to be of historical
and cultural value.
The church belongings, which transportation falls under special
rules, were disguised as a technical aid bloc on board a Boeing-767 that
was to fly from Yekaterinburg to Bangkok, the press service of the FSB
department supervising the Sverdlovsk region told Itar-Tass. An expert
examination is being conducted to establish the value of the confiscated
bells and whether they belong to Russia's cultural values.
A decision as to whether a criminal case will be opened on contraband
charges will be made after the results of the examination are announced,
the press service said.
-0-ere/gor