Large operation in the Kaunas district: two tugs with 3.5 million. seven smugglers were caught smuggling

According to officials, a truck full of Russian cigarettes entered Lithuania from Russia’s Kaliningrad region via Kybartai. A customs official at the post was charged with abuse of office and the shift chief was questioned as a special witness, the MKT reported.

Upon learning that illegal cigarettes can be stored in Tabariškės village, Ringaudai Elder of Kaunas District, MKT officials visited on the night of March 31. on April 1, he unexpectedly inspected a warehouse in the area.

Here, customs forensics captured seven people, some of whom were preparing to load cigarette boxes from truck to truck.

One of the detainees was a Russian citizen who was driving a Man truck, with which (declaring that he was driving empty, in transit) he entered Lithuania through the Kybartai roadside post. However, the car’s semitrailer was blindly packed into LF boxes of Russian cigarettes, and officers found up to 2,100,500 packs of smokers, the value of which, with taxes payable, is 3 million 487 thousand euros.

The remaining six people are Lithuanian citizens of various cities (Kaunas, Vilnius, Trakai), suspected of contributing to this smuggling: possibly entrusting and accompanying illegal cargo on the territory of Lithuania, or preparing to carry out stowage work.

A pre-trial investigation into smuggling and illegal disposal of excise goods was launched at the Kaunas branch of the MKT, initiated by the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

The Russian citizen was detained and then arrested for three months by decision of the Kaunas District Court. Six other Lithuanian citizens were released after the interview.

MKT officials also raised allegations of abuse of service by a customs official for the Kybartai Road Post, who was removed from duty. The shift chief of the Kybartai road post was also questioned as a special witness to this event.

In addition to the large-scale smuggling of Belarusian cigarettes from the territory of Belarus, there has been a significant increase in the number of illegal Russian smugglers on the border with Russia since the beginning of this year.

In recent months, the transport of very large loads of cigarettes of the Dakota, Rominta or LF types never seen before in Lithuania has started to be transported from the Russian region of Kaliningrad. Although it is noted that they are made in Russia, these smokers are usually without stamps.

In just three months this year, customs officials have already detained 1 million. 785 thousand packs of these Russian cigarettes by value (including taxes) – 6, 22 million. euros.