What You Can’t Order on AliExpress in 2026 — These Products Could Land You in Prison

Ordering gadgets on AliExpress is convenient and often cost-effective, but some devices can lead not to savings, but to a criminal case. Purchasing spy equipment carries a penalty of up to four years in prison — and we’re not talking about professional equipment, but about perfectly ordinary-looking watches, flash drives, and trackers. Let’s break down exactly what you can’t order in 2026, how to check a product before buying, and what penalties you face for violations.

Many products from Ali simply cannot be ordered by law

What You Can’t Order on AliExpress in 2026

In Russia, it is illegal to buy and sell equipment designed for covert information gathering. This includes any items that can secretly take photos, record audio and video, or transmit a signal about their location. Liability is outlined in Article 138.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

There is no specific list of prohibited devices in the law — only a general principle. A device is considered legal if it has openly positioned controls and indicators: the lens is not disguised as a button, there is a record button and a light that turns on when the camera is operating.

Here’s how it looks in practice.

What Are the Penalties for Buying Spy Equipment: Article 138.1 of the Criminal Code

Article 138.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation punishes the illegal trafficking of special technical means intended for covert information gathering. Trafficking includes not only sales but also acquisition, manufacture, and distribution. This means the buyer is held equally responsible as the seller.

The penalty is a fine of up to 200,000 ₽, restriction of freedom, or imprisonment for up to four years. Actual sentences in such cases are usually lighter: courts more often impose several months or a year and a half.

An important nuance: the mere fact of purchase is not enough for a criminal case. This is an intentional crime, and the investigation needs to prove that the person knew what they were buying and why. If you are called in by an investigator regarding such a matter, it is wiser not to give explanations until you’ve spoken with a lawyer — not because there are any “right phrases,” but because this is a legal dispute that should be handled by a specialist.

How to Check a Product from AliExpress Before Ordering

A simple checklist that covers most questionable situations before you even place an order.

Smart glasses with a camera can be purchased on Ali at a low price. But only if the lens is visible

• Look at the device photos. Is the camera visible, is there a record button, a viewfinder? If smart glasses honestly show what they can do — this is not a covert surveillance device.
• Request a certificate or declaration of conformity from the seller. These documents confirm that the product is intended for regular consumers and is freely sold in Russia.
• Verify the document in the Rosakkreditatsiya registry. Chinese sellers often attach their own certificates to the description, but by law, customs only accepts documents issued in Russia. A Chinese certificate is useless in Russia.
• Check the notification registry. This is a list of gadgets that the FSB licensing center has approved for free sale. For example, the Yandex Station is in the registry, so it can be purchased without worry. However, if a device is not on the list, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s prohibited — perhaps no one has applied for authorization yet.
• Look for an equivalent in a Russian store. The main rule is simple: if a device is freely sold in Russian retail, it can also be ordered from abroad.

Which Voice Recorders and Microphones Are Banned in Russia

Outlawed are voice recorders disguised as other objects. A flash drive with a sound recording function costs from 2,000 ₽ on AliExpress, and if you can’t tell from its appearance that there’s a voice recorder inside — it’s already a prohibited gadget.

A real-life example: a resident of Stavropol listed a flash drive-voice recorder on Avito, and the buyer turned out to be an FSB operative. During the investigation, the man admitted he understood what device he was selling. The result — a year and a half of imprisonment.

Also banned are microphones with remote control that can be activated from a distance. In Omsk, a criminal case was opened against a woman selling such a microphone: she had previously used it to eavesdrop on her husband, suspecting infidelity, and this proved intent.

AirPods and their copies also work for remote recording, but are completely legal

Before buying a voice recorder, check whether there is a microphone icon or Record and Play buttons on the body. If you can tell from the device that it can record sound — it is no longer a covert gadget.

Hidden Cameras from AliExpress: What’s Banned and What’s Allowed

Several types of cameras are banned.

• Cameras disguised as household objects — in glasses, pens, watches, light bulbs, alarm clocks. A smartphone camera is legal in this context: everyone knows that a phone can take photos, so it is not considered hidden.
• Pinhole cameras — tiny lenses mounted on a flexible cord. You can distinguish them from a legal video scope for inspecting crevices by size: a pinhole camera lens is slightly larger than a needle, while a video scope lens is about one centimeter.
• Cameras without a viewfinder — where the photographer cannot see the subject. This also includes cameras that shoot in darkness: if the description mentions illumination of 0.01 lux or less, it’s best to avoid them.

A regular video surveillance kit and a camera dummy are legal to buy