National Customs Agency

Customs officers at Kalotina BCP seized 1440 packages containing a total of 288 kg of smuggled hookah tobacco hidden in a freight vehicle.

On July 20, 2025, at Kalotina BCP, a truck with a Bulgarian registration, driven by a Bulgarian citizen with the initials A.C., arrived on the incoming route from Serbia. According to the documents presented by the driver, he was transporting plastic sheets and stated that there were no other items to declare. During the control actions, customs officers found a discrepancy between the declared and actual measured weight of the goods. A customs inspection was carried out using specialized X-ray equipment, during which areas with suspicious density in the cargo hold were marked.

During the subsequent physical inspection, the inspectors found 60 cartons containing a total of 1,440 boxes of hookah tobacco with various brands, all of which were without excise tax stamps. The total amount of smuggled hookah tobacco identified was 288 kilograms.

A pre-trial proceeding has been initiated regarding this case by the TD Customs Sofia, which is being conducted by an investigative customs inspector under the supervision of the Sofia District Prosecutor's Office.

Under the guidance of the District Prosecutor's Office - Sofia, actions are being taken to investigate the pre-trial proceedings for a crime committed under Article 242, paragraph 1, items "b" and "d", in connection with Article 18, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. During the investigation, sufficient evidence has been gathered to establish the guilt of individual A.C., 44 years old, in committing the crime. He has been charged as a defendant and is being held for up to 72 hours.

The Sofia District Prosecutor's Office is set to submit a request to the court for a preventive measure of 'detention' against A.C.