Romanian border police seize large contraband cigarette shipments from Turkey and Moldova

Romanian border authorities carried out major interdictions of illegal tobacco and counterfeit goods during July 2026. In Giurgiu, police stopped a Turkish‑registered coach and confiscated more than 66,000 cigarettes and 1,587 articles of clothing valued at about 416,760 lei, filing two criminal cases for tax‑code violations and trademark infringement. Near the western frontier at Nădlac, officers inspected a microbus registered in Moldova and uncovered 2,900 packs of cigarettes hidden in custom‑built compartments, worth over 88,000 lei; the vehicle was seized and a contraband investigation opened. In parallel, Moldovan customs and border police announced intensified summer‑season measures to smooth cross‑border traffic and strengthen controls, reflecting heightened vigilance against smuggling across the region.