Putin signs law stiffening penalties for illegal pipeline tapping
MOSCOW. July 30 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has stiffened the penalties faced by repeat offenders for illegally tapping into oil and gas pipelines.
The document was published on the official legal information website on Monday.
It adds a provision to the Criminal Code increasing the fine for illegally tapping into crude oil, refined product and gas pipelines by individuals that have previously faced administrative penalties under that article, to a fine of up to 80,000 rubles and incarceration for up to two years. If the violation was committed by a conspiratorial group and relates to trunk pipelines, they may be fined up to 200,000 rubles and incarcerated for up to three years.
If the violation results in death or other grave consequences, the guilty parties face prison terms of up to eight years.
Before the new law, the fine was up to 15,000 rubles for individuals and up to 80,000 rubles for office holders.