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Huge quantity of smuggled cigarettes detained near Vilnius

Danuta Pavilenene, BC, Vilnius, 02.09.2015.Print version
Lithuania's border with Belarus remains one of the hottest zones of the fight against smuggling: On August 28th, customs officers at the Salcininkai road post caught a large quantity of smuggled cigarettes. The illegal tobacco worth EUR about 350,000 was attempted to be brought under a cover load, i.e. metal pipes, reports BC Lithuanian Customs.

Photo: cust.lt

At about 6 a.m., the citizen A. B. of the neighbouring country, having arrived by a Scania truck from Belarus to the Salcininkai border control post, declared to the customs officers that he was carrying to Lithuania a cargo of metal pipes.

 

However, having checked his car with an x-ray control system, the officers became suspicious that the semi-trailer could also contain hidden smuggled goods. As soon as the semi-trailer was opened, boxes with the Belorussian-made cigarettes Fest were found there.

 

In total, A. B. attempted to bring in 174,500 packages of the cigarettes, whose value with taxes due was EUR 350,000. The driver was detained. Later he was arrested for a month following a decision of the Vilnius City District Court.

 

A pre-trial investigation was launched at the Vilnius branch of the Customs Criminal Service in respect of smuggling and unlawful possession of the goods subject to excise duties. Prosecutors of the Vilnius District are in charge of the pre-trial investigation, Lithuanian Customs said.






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