Following a request from Sverdlovsk Region’s public prosecution authorities, the regional division of the Federal Drug Control Service inspected X5 Retail Group’s Carousel hypermarket in Park House Mall in Yekaterinburg and found the store was selling mobile phone holders with images of marijuana printed on them.

The officers of the Service confiscated fifteen unsold items and then had them subjected to an examination by a board of art critics.

The experts came to the conclusion that the mobile phone holders with images of marijuana leaves on them can be classed as a means of advertising and propaganda of drugs and that they inspire an interest in actually doing drugs.

The inspection therefore resulted in an administrative lawsuit against the store’s director, with charges based on Article 6.13 of the Russian Federation Administrative Offense Code (propaganda of narcotic and mind-changing substances or of their precursors). The case is to be considered by Yekaterinburg Leninsky district court.