site.btaCustoms Officers Seize over 127,000 Pieces Contraband Cigarettes

Customs officers from the Burgas customs found 127,200 pieces (6,360 boxes) of contraband cigarettes in factory packaging  with women's socks, the Customs Agency said on Friday. The undeclared tobacco products were detained at the Lesovo border checkpoint during an inspection of a truck.

The vehicle had a Turkish registration and arrived at the Lesovo checkpoint on February 16 from Turkey, driven by a Turkish citizen. According to the submitted documents, the truck was transporting goods of textile, glass and other products from Turkey to Great Britain.

Customs officers selected the truck for a thorough inspection. Suspicious areas in the cargo have been identified with specialized X-ray equipment. A physical inspection was carried out, during which 6,360 boxes of women's socks containing undeclared cigarettes were found, all with a Turkish excise label.

The seized cigarettes are worth nearly 40,000 leva at market prices in Bulgaria, and on the market in the United Kingdom they could be sold at a several times higher price. An act of administrative violation was drawn up against the driver of the car. Work on the case continues.