Hungarian truck drivers sentenced for multi‑million forint cigarette smuggling

A couple living together in a domestic partnership, both employed as truck drivers, were convicted of organized cigarette smuggling. Investigators found nearly 5,000 packs of untaxed, tax‑stamp‑free cigarettes hidden in a trailer and in a compartment of the tractor, valued at about 10.5 million forints. The pair intended to transport the goods abroad from Hungary, using a concealed compartment in the truck’s trailer.

The Miskolc Court sentenced the male driver to three years’ imprisonment and a three‑year ban from public office, while the female accomplice received a two‑year suspended sentence with a three‑year probation period. The court noted aggravating factors such as the defendant’s prior criminal record and the repeated nature of the offence, but also noted mitigating circumstances, including admission of guilt and the woman’s clean record.