Фото: VSAT
Lithuanian border guards intercepted three shipments of smuggled cigarettes brought from Belarus on balloons. A 28-year-old resident of the Trakai District, who is suspected of having arrived to collect one of the shipments, was detained, Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service reports.
The shipments were discovered on Tuesday, November 10, in the Šalčininkai, Lazdijai and Alytus districts. GPS transmitters were attached to each shipment, allowing the smugglers to track the location of the consignments.
A total of 12,047 packs of NZ Gold and Minsk 5 Superslims cigarettes bearing Belarusian excise stamps were seized. Their value is estimated at more than €66,000.
A pre-trial investigation into the illegal handling of excise goods has been launched against the detained man. Evidence relating to the two other incidents has been added to ongoing investigations.