Druskininkai Border Guards Stop Smugglers Carrying Dumped Cigarettes From Belarus

On Thursday, the Druskininkai border guard officers of the Varėna border team of the SBGS noticed how the cargo was dropped into the Lithuanian territory through the border line from Belarus to the Latežeris village of the Druskininkai municipality.

Here, two men immediately seized two large bundles to which braces were attached. They threw the cargo on their shoulders and began to move into the depths of Lithuania, but they only walked a few meters. The Druskininkai border guards dropped the two smugglers on the ground and detained them after a few moments.

It turned out that the carriers were residents of the Lazdijai district, aged 23 and 46. In total, they transported 2,000 packages of Fest cigarettes with Belarusian stamps.

The state border protection zone is marked at this location, which is only accessible with special permits from border guards. Both detainees did not have these documents.

The Druskininkai border guards initiated administrative proceedings due to the smuggling and illegal transportation of excise goods. For the first offense, smugglers face fines of 3,500 to 6,000 euros. The fines for the second offense range between 5,200 and 6,000 euros.

Residents of the Lazdijai district should also be held administratively responsible for violations of the legal acts that regulate the legal regime of the border, that is, access to the state border protection zone without permits. Such an offense carries a warning or a fine of 40 to 90 euros.

The Druskininkai border guards turned over all the collected material to the Druskininkai Chamber of the Alytus District Court, which will decide how the smugglers will be punished.

After questioning, SBGS officials released them. The cigarettes are stored at the Druskininkai border barrier.