National Customs Agency

Nearly 309,580 cigarette boxes (6,191,600 cigarette shorts) were found among cartons with jars in a cargo composition with Bulgarian registration. The inspection is part of the ongoing joint operation to combat smuggling with the participation of teams from the National Customs Agency, DG Border Police, DG Combating Organized Crime and the National Revenue Agency.

At 3:10 a.m. on 30/07/2024, a freight train with a driver of Bulgarian citizenship, traveling in the direction of the Republic of Germany, arrived at the joint Bulgarian-Romanian checkpoint "Rousse"/"Giurgevo" for exit from Bulgaria. According to documents, she was transporting glass packaging.

At the request of the Border Police, the truck was selected for additional inspection. A joint team of border policemen from Border Police - Ruse and customs officers from the department "Combating drug trafficking" from TD Customs Rousse has been formed. During a subsequent scan of the vehicle with an X-ray system and a physical check, the officers found that 720 cartons containing a total of 6,191,600 pieces (309,580 packs) of cigarettes were placed among the cartons with glass jars. The tobacco products are from world-famous brands, they were not affixed with an excise label, but were labeled FOR DUTY FREE SALES ONLY in Greek or English.

In an attempt to mislead customs inspectors, the offenders used the "plug" method - cartons containing excise goods were surrounded on all sides by cartons with empty glass jars. Their purpose was that during a conventional physical inspection the inspectors would only have access to the cartons containing the declared goods.

The discovered excise goods were confiscated, and the driver of the vehicle was detained - pre-trial proceedings were initiated against him by the Territorial Directorate of Customs Rousse under the supervision of the Rousse District Prosecutor's Office.