Colombian army seizes 41,500 contraband cigarette packs in Ipiales

Soldiers from the Special Energy and Road Battalion No. 20, part of the 23rd Brigade of the Colombian National Army, coordinated with the Fiscal and Customs Police and the DIAN tax agency to intercept a shipment of smuggled cigarettes in the urban area of Ipiales, Nariño. Intelligence work allowed authorities to locate the cargo as it was being loaded onto a local road.

When troops arrived, two individuals attempted to bribe the soldiers with 150 million Colombian pesos to continue the illegal activity. The soldiers rejected the offer, and about 30 people involved in the loading fled the scene. Officials confirmed that roughly 41,500 cigarette packs of foreign origin lacked the required import documentation. The seized merchandise was handed over to the competent authorities for further processing.