Фото: vsat.lrv.lt
A Lithuanian and a Polish national were detained in Lithuania’s Lazdijai District after attempting to evade border guards in a vehicle. The car was found to contain 6,000 packs of cigarettes bearing Belarusian excise stamps, the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reports.
On Friday, October 2, Lithuanian border guards attempted to stop a BMW X3 for inspection near the village of Vainūnai.
The driver failed to comply with the order to stop. Border guards began pursuing the BMW. After a 20-kilometer chase, two men jumped out of the vehicle and attempted to flee.
One of them, a 48-year-old Lithuanian citizen, was detained near the vehicle. The second, a 37-year-old Polish citizen, was detained with the help of a service dog.
The vehicle contained 6,000 packs of NZ Gold and Minsk 5 Super Slims cigarettes bearing Belarusian excise stamps. According to VSAT, the preliminary value of the shipment, including all mandatory taxes in Lithuania, exceeds €33,000.
Pretrial proceedings have been launched over the illegal handling of excise goods. The court ordered the following measures of restraint for the detainees: the Lithuanian citizen was remanded in custody for 20 days, while the Polish citizen was remanded for one month.
The vehicle and seized cigarettes are temporarily being stored at units of the Varėna Border Guard Unit.