>You have to wonder what the executives thought of this!
Based on the time period, in the words of Rick James, "cocaine is a helluva drug." If that was the actual reason, it makes total sense. If that's not the reason, then what the actual f were they doing?
There weren't many products in the Soviet Union that could be sold in the west. They needed a commodity that was to western standards. Soviet steel had full scrap value in the west and the ships were mobile. Pepsi also traded for tomato paste.
Sounds like an interesting documentary ready to happen.