site.btaCustoms Officers Seize Over 73,000 Cigarettes at Danube Bridge 2

Customs officers seized 73,460 cigarettes (3,673 packs) at the border crossing checkpoint Danube Bridge 2 at Vidin - Calafat, the Customs Agency said on Tuesday.

In one case, a Bulgarian citizen was found transporting toilet cisterns from Bulgaria to the UK. A mobile X-ray system was used to inspect the vehicle and the cargo, and suspicious areas in the cargo were noted. During a physical check of the cargo hold, 48,660 cigarettes (2,433 packs) with Bulgarian excise duty were found in a pallet. The driver claimed that the cigarettes were his but did not produce the necessary documents.

In the second case, a Turkish citizen who was transporting hazelnuts to Germany declared that he also had cigarettes according to the quantities allowed by law. During the check, 24,800 cigarettes (1,240 packs) without a valid excise duty were found in natural cavities in the driver's cab. The tobacco products were seized. Pre-trial proceedings were initiated. 

Since the beginning of the year at Vidin - Calafat, customs officers have seized 249,553 packs (over 4.82 million pieces) of smuggled cigarettes and 400 grams of smoking tobacco in 32 cases, according to information on the Customs Agency website.