"Border inspectors, together with officers of the Trans-Baikal Customs department, confiscated a batch of jade-containing ore from a Chinese national travelling from Chelyabinsk on board a Moscow-Beijing train. The stones, packaged into fruit boxes, weighed over 220kg," the spokesman said.
The batch of stones has been estimated to be worth some 350,000 rubles ($10,600), the spokesman said, adding that the price would have been higher if the mineral had reached China, where it is in high demand.
Jade, whose color varies from white, dark green and black, is often used as an ornamental stone.
The Chinese smuggler declared neither his cargo, nor $7,500 and 20,000 yuans (over $2,000) in cash. An investigation is underway.
