"If you're afraid of wolves, don't go into the forest." How the business of a Belarusian reseller in Poland is structured

In a small pavilion at the Cavalry Market in Białystok, there are tall shelves stacked with goods. Many items are wrapped in black film, but some can still be seen — typically, these are motor oils, car parts, and household goods. This is where couriers deliver Andrei's orders.

The man immediately admits: he himself doesn't fully understand why buyers are needed. Especially now, when due to sanctions and limits, you can't get tax-free on everything.

"You can buy all the same things in Belarus, sometimes even cheaper. But people have this habit: 'Let's buy it in Poland – it will be better and cheaper.'"

The buyer's job is as follows: a customer from Belarus searches for the desired product on Polish online platforms, the buyer orders it to their address, and picks up the parcel. Then they process the documents required for a VAT refund.

"You can't do without a buyer, because these websites are currently blocked in Belarus. Since I have a registered sole proprietorship (ІП), I can immediately issue VAT documents for people. That's why it's profitable for them. Look, from an item that hypothetically costs 1000 PLN (about 255 dollars), 200 PLN (about 51 dollars) in VAT will be returned — it's profitable, isn't it?"

VAT refund.

The buyer himself earns on commission. As a rule, this is 7% of the order value. If the order is large, the service fee can be reduced to 4%.

"You can earn a minimum of 8-10 thousand PLN"

According to Andrei's calculations, about twenty buyers work in the market. On average, about a hundred cars from Belarus arrive here daily, so there's enough work for everyone.

"On average, you can earn a minimum of 8-10 thousand PLN (about 2000-2500 dollars) from such services. But you also need to consider expenses: an accountant — 600-700 PLN (150-170 dollars) and pavilion rent — an average of 1000 PLN. So if someone says they earn less, they wouldn't be sitting here anymore," the man is confident.

Andrei himself doesn't have a large flow of clients. Mostly, these are his acquaintances and friends from Belarus. But considering that they order quite expensive items, "something is earned."

How sanctions are circumvented

The most common order is car parts. Andrei attributes this to the fact that the market in Belarus has significantly narrowed during the sanctions period. Mostly, parts are brought there from Russia, and many of them are counterfeit.

Parts that are not on the sanctions lists are transported officially: VAT refunds are processed at the border. Those that are prohibited are still transported, but without official processing.

Andrei doesn't risk detailing how sanctioned goods are transported, but he does agree to explain some things. For example, a washing machine can be exported, but a dryer cannot. The carrier wraps it in black film and tells customs it's a "washer." With motor oil, it's simpler: the label is removed from the bottle. In such cases, a VAT refund, of course, won't be possible.

"If you're afraid of wolves, don't go into the forest"

While the conversation is ongoing, a client enters the pavilion – just to pick up an order. The woman takes the prepared boxes and cautiously asks:

"Will they not kill me for this at the border? Can I get VAT processed?"

The buyer says her goods are not on the sanctions lists, but for reassurance, he suggests asking ChatGPT.

"Yes, please ask so they don't turn me back," the woman agrees.

After the check, she takes the goods and leaves.

"There's an old saying: if you're afraid of wolves, don't go into the forest," Andrei continues, explaining why Belarusians transport "sanctioned goods" despite the prohibitions. "Besides, the Poles turn a blind eye to all this. They understand that people still bring in the same chemicals and the same parts. The main thing is not to be too arrogant and to hide the goods in the car so they don't catch the eye. As a rule, a Polish customs officer doesn't rummage through. He opens, looks visually – that's it, free to go."

"Profitable for both sides"

According to the interlocutor, Belarusian customs checks much more strictly. They check whether the duty-free import limits by sum and weight are met. To circumvent them, carriers take passengers in their cars, to whom they "attribute" part of the goods – as if the passengers themselves are importing them for their own needs.

"They take an elderly woman into their car. Her task is just to drive. For this, she gets paid about 30 dollars, and she transports goods worth 70 dollars in net profit. Profitable for both sides."

The Belarusian buyer is confident that this border business will thrive for at least another five years. Largely because Belarusians have already grown accustomed to it, and they quickly adapt to any changes in rules.

"A Belarusian will always transport diesel fuel. If he arrives in a Passat, he'll already earn 70 dollars. On top of that, two bottles of vodka and blocks of cigarettes, which he'll sell here – that's a hundred in his pocket. He's unlikely to take that money home – he'll buy something here. So it's profitable for everyone."

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