Russia to Estonia Vodka Pipeline Destroyed

(Narva, Estonia) A mile-long illegal vodka pipeline was found and destroyed by Estonian authorities and four Russian men have been accused of being ringleaders in the smuggling operation.

Smugglers built an underwater pipeline to pump thousands of litres of cheap vodka into the European Union from Russia, it has been claimed.

The crooks would have pocketed millions of euros because of massive price difference between the two zones.

But police in Estonia rumbled the scheme and destroyed the one-mile 'Vodka Galore' link which had been laid across a reservoir.

'It might sound weird and unbelievable but it's a very real criminal case,' said prosecutors' spokeswoman Mari Luuk.

The alleged smugglers face five years in prison if convicted.

The illegal pipeline was cunningly submerged in a reservoir located between Russia and Estonia near the town of Narva, she said.

Obviously, the price of vodka is much cheaper in Russia than the European Union.

Interestingly, this is not the first illegal liquor pipeline to be found in the region. In 2003, Latvian police discovered a kilometer-long pipeline running from Russia into Latvia. The pipeline of illegal spirits was first noticed by Russian soldiers who notified their counterparts across the border.