EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Lithuania, Markets and Companies, Transport

Law enforcement from Poland, Germany and Lithuania seized 70 million cigarettes in the sting operation, "preventing losses of 6 million euros to the European taxpayer," the EU's Anti-Fraud Office said Monday.

The nine suspects were allegedly smuggling the contraband from Ukraine and Russia to other European countries. They are now being detained for three months and will await trial in Lithuania, informs LETA/ELTA.

The Anti-Fraud Office said that cigarette smuggling costs European taxpayers 10 billion euros a year. Cigarette smuggling considered a form of tax evasion is the world's most widely smuggled legal consumer product, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO estimates that for every 20 cigarettes sold, one is smuggled. Tobacco companies themselves are blamed for condoning smuggling activities, and according to the WHO, some countries are suing tobacco companies for the lost revenue.