Man caught with over 15,500 euros worth of Belarusian cigarettes in Lithuania

Border guards in Lithuania's Alytus district apprehended a 49-year-old local man who was illegally transporting a significant quantity of Belarusian cigarettes. The man was stopped while driving a Ford Mondeo with Lithuanian license plates, and officers discovered three cardboard boxes in the car's trunk.

These boxes, marked with the logo of a tobacco factory from Grodno, Belarus, contained 1,500 packs of "Minsk Capital QS" and "NZ Gold" cigarettes, all bearing Belarusian tax stamps. Continuing their investigation, the border guards proceeded to search the suspect's residences in the Alytus district and city.

During the searches, an additional 1,387 packs of various cigarette brands were found. Some of these cigarettes lacked any excise stamps, indicating they were also part of the illegal trade. In total, Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (VSAT) officers seized 2,887 packs of contraband cigarettes.

The estimated value of these illegal cigarettes, including all applicable taxes that would normally be paid in Lithuania, amounts to 15,532 euros. A pre-trial investigation has been launched by the VSAT Varėna Border Guard Company for the illegal possession of excise goods, under the supervision of a prosecutor from the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor's Office.

The man was taken into custody and placed in a detention center. Following his interrogation on Thursday, he was released under a written pledge not to leave the area. The seized illegal cigarettes and the Ford Mondeo vehicle are temporarily held by the VSAT Varėna Border Guard Company. The suspect faces a penalty that could include a fine or imprisonment for up to four years.