Chop customs officers did not allow to export a nineteenth century icon to Italy

Recently, about five o’clock a "Mercedes-Benz" minibus, driven by a 49-year old citizen of Ukraine who was traveling on private business to the capital of Italy, drove to the Transcarpathian Chop customs checkpoint "Tisa". During the customs control the man declared currency and verbally assured customs officers that he was not carrying anything illegal across the border.
However, when checking the luggage compartment the customs officers found an icon by an unknown author "Unknown saint" (size 29.4 x 21.1 x 1.5 cm). 
The ancient icons depicts an unknown saint dressed as priest kneeling in the church and holding a human soul in the form of a small child. In the upper right corner there is an illegible inscription of the name of the saint. 
According to the expert opinion of the Transcarpathian Regional Art Museum, the icon is not of any historical and cultural value, and may be exported outside the customs territory of Ukraine in the presence of permits. The estimated price of this icon – 1600 UAH – was also specified. 
So due to not stating in the prescribed manner a precise information on the item crossing the customs border of Ukraine, which is subject to a written declaration and allowed to be carried across the border, subject to availability of permits, the protocol on the driver has been written under Article 472 of the Customs Code of Ukraine – said Victoria Senhetovska, spokeswoman of Chop customs.