Involvement of Specialists in Smuggling Investigation

Abstract

Annotation: The Article Purpose is to single out typical forms of specialists’ participation in crimi­nal proceedings involving the investigation of smuggling and to clarify their role in ensuring the efficiency of proof depending on the subject of a crime (timber materials, cultural valuables, weapons and ammunition). General scientific (analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction) and special (dialectical, systemic-structural, comparative-legal and generalization) methods were employed to fulfill this goal. The authors determine that a specialist in criminal proceedings is the central figure of technical-­forensic, analytical and organizational-tactical support, and his/her participation extends beyond mere advisory support, covering active assistance during investigative (search) and covert investigative (search) actions. Having summarized case law, it was found that in ca­ses of timber smuggling, specialists in forestry play a decisive role; in proceedings concer­ning the smuggling of cultural valuables, art historians are involved; and in cases of illegal transfer of weapons, representatives of customs authorities, weapons experts, and ballisticians are actively engaged. It was demonstrated that only with the help of their conclusions and actions could proper identification of objects be ensured, including the detection of concealment methods, formulation of investigative versions, and the initiation of subsequent expert research, thereby contributing to the efficient conduct of the investigation. Prospects for improving the involvement of specialists in the investigation of smuggling are due to the development of unified methodological guidelines, strengthening of interagency cooperation, modernization of material and technical resources and systema­tic skill-upgrading of specialists, which will jointly promote the completeness, accuracy and evidentiary strength of collected information in this category of criminal offenses.