Million-euro counterfeit cigarette shipment seized in Lithuania

Lithuanian customs officers intercepted a large shipment of counterfeit cigarettes valued at nearly 2 million euros during an operation in Karmėlava. The seizure occurred on June 8 when officers stopped a "Man" truck driven by a Ukrainian citizen. The driver declared the cargo as disposable tableware, but suspicions arose during inspection due to the unusual packaging and markings on the boxes.

A detailed inspection at the Kaunas territorial customs office revealed 720 boxes containing 360,000 packs of "Winston Blue" cigarettes. These cigarettes bore Belarusian excise stamps, indicating their origin and illegal status. The estimated value of the seized contraband, including taxes, is 1.98 million euros.

The truck driver was detained for two days, and a pre-trial investigation has been launched for illegal possession of excise goods. Lithuanian authorities are increasingly focused on combating illegal tobacco smuggling, noting a significant rise in such activities from neighboring countries in recent years. Last year, Lithuanian customs seized nearly 7 million packs of illegal cigarettes, primarily imported from Latvia, suggesting that counterfeit operations may be occurring in Latvia itself, producing both internationally recognized brands and Belarusian cigarettes.