Hidden compartment in truck floor yields nearly 280,000 smuggled cigarettes
Customs officers at the Terehova border checkpoint in Latvia discovered a hidden compartment in a semi-trailer floor containing 279,680 smuggled cigarettes destined for Lithuania.
The State Revenue Service (VID) reported that a truck entering Latvia from Russia was selected for inspection at the Terehova customs checkpoint based on risk analysis. After scanning with an X-ray machine, customs experts detected anomalies in the trailer floor structure.
A deeper inspection, involving a canine unit and a control drill, revealed a concealed space filled with undeclared cigarettes. In total, 279,680 cigarettes (13,984 packs) of brands including Sobranie, Kent, and Parliament were seized.
Criminal proceedings have been initiated under Article 190, Part 3 of the Criminal Law for large-scale smuggling, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, asset confiscation, and probation. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and no further details are available at this time.
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