At the District Prosecutor's Office – Blagoevgrad, Territorial Department – Petrich, a message was received from a customs inspector on duty in the Territorial Directorate of Customs Sofia about the discovery of a large quantity of cigarettes without a Bulgarian excise label. This was announced by the Appellate Prosecutor's Office – Sofia, quoted by BTA.
In the late hours of May 16, 2024, in the area of the checkpoint "Kulata" mixed teams from the "Customs" Agency, DG "Border Police", DG "Combating Organized Crime" and the National Revenue Agency carried out an inspection of a cargo combination managed by a Bulgarian citizen. According to the documents presented by the driver, he was transporting electrical equipment from Greece to Lithuania.
Customs officers directed cargo composition for X-ray control with a mobile X-ray system. After identifying areas with uncharacteristic density, a physical inspection was also carried out.
Immediately next to the door of the tug, in the metal box resembling an electrical panel, no excise goods were found. In the others, however, 650 cartons of tobacco products were found – cigarettes of different brands.
In this case, pre-trial proceedings have been initiated for a crime committed under Art. 234, para. 3, item 3, paragraph art. 234, para. 1 of the NC – holding excise goods without a banderol in large quantities.
According to initial data, the total quantity of the object of the crime is 6,499,000 pieces (324,950 boxes).
It has been established that the cargo combination, consisting of a tractor with a semi-trailer, is owned by two Bulgarian companies. The driver has given statements that are being verified.
The investigation continues under the supervision of the prosecutor's office, the announcement states.
A total of 40,000 cigarettes without a wrapper and 130 grams of marijuana were seized by police officers from the regional offices (RU) in Kula and Belogradchik, the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (OD of the Ministry of Internal Affairs) in Vidin announced yesterday.