The price disparity of iPhones across different retailers is due to tax evasion schemes, not advanced technology or special deals with Apple. According to Dmitry Alekseev, co-owner and president of DNS, the difference in price, where the same iPhone can cost significantly less on marketplaces compared to large retailers like M.Video, Citilink, and DNS, stems from how taxes are handled.

Individual entrepreneurs (IEs) exploit a loophole by operating under special tax regimes that don’t require them to submit purchase ledgers to the tax office, unlike larger retailers who operate under a general taxation regime. This allows them to bypass paying customs VAT, duties, and other taxes.

Marketplaces enable this illicit activity by allowing IEs to sell products through “partner courier services” where payments are made in cash. This obscures the financial trail, making it difficult for authorities to track the origin of the goods and collect taxes.

The scheme involves a network of shell companies that operate for a short period before being replaced by new entities to avoid scrutiny. These companies often have blocked accounts and are flagged as unreliable.

While marketplaces claim that some products are sold at “very attractive prices for cash,” it is apparent that they knowingly facilitate a criminal enterprise that generates illicit funds and evades taxes. This illegal trade has grown significantly, with estimates suggesting that a substantial portion of iPhones entering Russia bypass customs.