I can count at least 2 times now where they pushed this lie to drive up sales.  Is it going to be an annual thing?

  What Lie???

https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/sm0114.aspx


Molot-Oruzhie, OOO manufactures ordnance and accessories and is located in the Russian Federation.  In 2016, previously-designated Kalashnikov Concern advised a foreign company to use Molot-Oruzhie, OOO to falsify invoices in order to circumvent U.S. and EU sanctions.  Molot-Oruzhie is being designated for operating in the arms or related material sector of the Russian Federation and for acting or purporting to act for on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Kalashnikov Concern.

As said above. I don't believe there is a lie but why is it you believe that?

I also am curious why you think the treasury department is colluding with Molot to drive up their sales.

On a related note, this guy came in my church two weeks ago and told us all the world was ending that day, and the government was hiding a giant "red dragon" planet in our skies by camouflaging it where we can't see it.  So, yeah.

They have been saying that for years, but obviously there is a workaround

I don't think it's even been a year yet. What was already on the water and waiting for release are what is being replenished, afaik.

First one was in 2015.  All the retailers were claiming there was one last shipment and they are gone.  Prices hit $1300+ for VEPR12s, today you can still get them for $799

That was because at the time Izhmash had been sanctioned and Saigas became banned. Everyone freaked out and assumed VEPRs were affected as well, until they realized that Molot was a separate company and wasn't named in the sanctions.

This year, Molot was named, thereby officially stopping any further VEPR imports.

This.

OP remember Molot's were barred from import last year. Trump won and thus firearm purchases have been slow (see the gun manufacturers closing doors and laying off people). As others said, when you add the guns that were here waiting to get distributed and the ones that were barely arriving, then add in a slow gun purchase market and that equals to VEPRs still being available.