Atypical smuggling attempt: Customs officers found cigarettes thrown into a concrete slab

Two cases of attempted smuggling of cigarettes with a Bulgarian excise label were found by the customs officers at the checkpoint “Vidin” at Danube Bridge 2 - 69,800 cigarette stubs in a refrigerated truck with wafers and 5,400 cigarette stubs cast in a concrete slab. This was announced by the press center of the "Customs" Agency.
On 23.08.2024, in the area of the checkpoint “Vidin“ customs officials stop for inspection a refrigerated truck with Bulgarian registration, transporting confectionery products to Great Britain. Based on the “risk analysis“ customs officers divert the cargo vehicle for a thorough customs inspection. During the control carried out by the customs inspectors, a total of 69,800 pieces (3,490 boxes) of cigarettes with a Bulgarian excise label were found in the waffle boxes. The cigarette stacks were wrapped in aluminum foil to shield them from X-ray scanning and prevent detection.
Another unusual attempt to transport cigarettes with a Bulgarian excise banderol was detected by the customs officials on the same day. During the inspection of a car carrier traveling to Germany, the customs inspectors checked an unaccompanied shipment - a concrete slab, for which the driver, a Bulgarian citizen, claims is a commercial sample. It turns out that 5,400 pieces (270 packs) of cigarettes with a Bulgarian excise label were cast into the concrete.
The excise goods were detained, and acts for establishing an administrative violation were drawn up for the cases. The checks are part of the ongoing joint operation to combat smuggling with the participation of teams from the Customs Agency, the Directorate General of Border Police, the Directorate General for Combating Organized Crime. and National Revenue Agency.