Two Belarusian Nationals Detained in Daugavpils over Smuggling of 140,000 Cigarettes Thrown from a Train
On 4 November, the State Police detained two Belarusian citizens, a train driver and his assistant, in Daugavpils on suspicion of large-scale smuggling. Packages containing 140,000 illegal cigarettes had been thrown from a moving train.
Officers of the Criminal Police Bureau of the Latgale Regional Board of the State Police detained two Belarusian citizens, a train driver and his assistant, in Daugavpils, Latvia, on 4 November 2026. They are suspected of large-scale smuggling. Police seized 140,000 "NZ Gold" cigarettes bearing Belarusian excise tax stamps. A criminal case has been opened and the investigation continues.
How the detention came about
The detention was carried out by officers of the Bureau's department for combating organised, serious and serial crime, acting on operational information about the illegal trade in excise goods. Police established that the packages of illegal cigarettes had been thrown from a moving train. The train had arrived in Daugavpils from Belarus.
The State Police say they are continuing targeted work against the illegal cigarette trade.
What happens next
On 6 November, the State Police will ask a court to apply a custodial preventive measure, one involving deprivation of liberty, to both detainees.
The criminal case was opened under Part 3 of Section 190 of the Criminal Law, which covers smuggling committed by an organised group or on a large scale. The offence carries a prison sentence of up to ten years, with or without confiscation of property, and probation supervision of up to three years, with or without it. Courts may also bar a person from certain or all kinds of commercial activity, from a particular occupation or from holding a particular post for up to five years.
The State Police stress that no one is considered guilty until guilt has been proven in the manner prescribed by law.
