A court in Russia has sentenced a 54-year-old Uzbek citizen to 10 months in a penal settlement after customs officers discovered 446 precious and semi-precious stones hidden in his clothing while he attempted to enter the country.

The man was stopped in the green channel at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport after arriving on a flight from Uzbekistan, The Caspian Post reports via TASS.

During the inspection, officers found 32 green gemstones in his luggage, 313 minerals of various shapes and colors concealed in the pockets of his jeans alongside a silver plate, and 101 stones hidden inside his underwear.

The passenger claimed the gemstones were intended as samples for his jewelry business and said he was unaware they had to be declared at customs.

A forensic examination identified the seized items as emeralds, apatites, tourmalines, synthetic moissanites, and a 960-grade silver plate. The customs officers estimated the total value of the confiscated items at 2.5 million rubles (approximately $27,000-28,000).

The court found the man guilty of smuggling strategically important resources on a large scale and sentenced him to 10 months' imprisonment in a penal settlement.