CUSTOMS officers intercepted nearly 12 million smuggled cigarettes on February 8, the third-largest haul of contraband cigarettes in a single day in Slovak history.
During a routine inspection in the village of Jasenica (Trenčín region), police seized more than 8.5 million cigarettes. The same day, during a check of a truck in Ilava (also Trenčín region), police found another 3.2 million cigarettes.
Three people are suspected of smuggling the goods, although so far only one man has been arrested, the TASR news wire reported.
Smuggling costs Slovakia some Sk20 million (€533,000) a year in lost excise taxes. According to customs officials, the smuggled packs of cigarettes were intended for the British market.
Compiled by Marta Ďurianová from press reports
TheSlovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the informationpresented in its Flash News postings.
