These were hidden in cardboard boxes of baked goods. The 24-year-old Bulgarian driver and his passenger admitted during their interrogation that the tobacco products were intended for resale to acquaintances in the Netherlands. The cigarettes were confiscated.
Lower Austria: Customs Officers Found 60,300 Cigarettes in a Minibus
11-01-2025, 16:31
In November of the previous year, customs officers made a significant discovery on the highway near Bruck an der Leitha in Lower Austria. They found 60,300 cigarettes in a minibus with Bulgarian license plates.
Numerous Cigarettes Found
At first, the suspects claimed during the inspection that they were only carrying eight cartons of cigarettes. However, the customs officers then found 301.5 cartons in the boxes with a domestic sales price of 16,697 euros. Since the cigarettes were of Bulgarian origin, they should have been taxed during transport to Austria, which would have resulted in duties of 10,612 euros.
In addition to the confiscation of the seized cigarettes, the two suspects face a fine of up to twice the amount of the evaded duties. "We are taking decisive action to protect our society not only from financial losses, but also from particularly high health risks that smuggled tobacco products often bring with them in addition to the already harmful effects of smoking," said Finance Minister Gunter Mayr.
(APA/Red)
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