Bulgarian Customs Seize 8.6 Million Illicit Cigarettes

Bulgarian Customs officials have seized over 8.6 million cigarettes, totaling 432,000 packs, at the Kulata border crossing. The undocumented tobacco products, consisting of three different brands, were discovered hidden behind food items including cornflakes and kadaif in a truck with Polish registration plates.

The seizure occurred on October 8 during an inspection of a vehicle traveling from Greece toward Bulgaria. The illegal goods were found on 24 pallets. The total value of the seized items is estimated at 1,644,840 euros.

Two Polish citizens have been charged and placed in custody following a request from the Blagoevgrad District Prosecutor's Office. This operation is part of ‘Prometheus’, an initiative by the Customs Agency to combat the illegal trafficking of tobacco products.