Ukrainian cigarette smuggler captured

CUSTOMS officers arrested a Ukrainian national for attempting to smuggle nearly Sk20 million (€476,000) worth of cigarettes over the Slovak border.

The 41-years-old Ukrainian, not named, declared that he was transporting lumber in his truck. However, upon checking the cargo, customs officers found 28,689 cartons of various types of cigarettes in the back of his vehicle, reported the state run news agency, TASR.

The smuggler was taken into police custody, and charged with tax evasion. The incident took place at the eastern Slovak border crossing of Vyšné Nemecké.

22. Sep 2003 at 0:00  | From press reports