Russian customs oficials said Monday they had foiled a bid to smuggle nearly half a tonne of cheese into the country from the European Union, whose food is subject to retaliatory sanctions. A man attempted to drive from Poland into the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad with 460 kilogrammes of cheese stuffed in the trunk and backseat of his car, the customs service said. "The Kalingradian said he was not transporting goods for commercial purposes," it said in a statement. "He knew about the rules but did not respect them, hoping that customs officers would not check his vehicle."