Hungarian customs fines Bulgarian driver 2.3 million for cigarette smuggling

Hungarian customs officers from the NAV Enforcement Directorate inspected a trailer‑pulling van traveling from Bulgaria to Germany at a rest area on the M43 highway. The driver initially denied carrying any excise‑duty goods, but a detailed search of a heavily packed tool box revealed 614 boxes of Bulgarian‑sealed cigarettes hidden beneath tools, workwear and safety gear.

The seized cigarettes were valued at more than 1.6 million forints. Authorities seized the goods and opened a case for excise‑tax violation and budget fraud. The driver claimed he was transporting the tobacco for relatives in Germany, but prosecutors indicated that the shipment breached EU and national limits on tobacco movement. He faces a fine exceeding 2.3 million forints.