Purpose: a detailed analysis of the criminal-legal characteristics of the smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their analogues (art. 229.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), as well as the identification of qualification problems and the development of proposals for improving legislation. Research method: the research used such methods as the dialectical method, system analysis, formal legal method, analysis of judicial practice and statistical data. Conclusions: the necessity of making amendments to Part 3 of Article 229.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation of the additional qualifying feature "for the purpose of sale", and in Part 4 of Article 229.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation of the feature "using information and telecommunication networks (including the Internet)" is justified; problems of proving intent are identified; unstable dynamics of crime with a tendency to increase is established. after a period of decline. Scientific and practical significance: the authors proposed specific changes to the criminal legislation and developed recommendations on the qualification of drug smuggling, including the distinction with related compounds and the definition of the end of the crime.