Customs officers found 750 boxes (15,000 pieces) of cigarettes hidden in upholstered furniture and 225 liters of alcohol during a search of a passenger van leaving the country. The excise goods have a Bulgarian excise label, but above the quantities allowed for personal consumption and without the documents required by the Law on Excise Duties and Tax Warehouses (ZADS).
On 18.02.22 in the area of the Danube Bridge – Ruse border checkpoint customs inspectors from the Ruse Customs TD stopped for inspection a freight minibus traveling from Bulgaria to Sweden with a driver, five passengers and luggage – personal belongings. The vehicle is destined for a thorough customs inspection in the hall of the customs terminal, during which the customs officers find cigarettes hidden in the body of 3 pieces of upholstered furniture among the transported items. The found tobacco products are a total of 750 boxes (15,000 pieces) of 6 brands of cigarettes, affixed with a Bulgarian excise label.
In the cargo compartment of the vehicle, the customs officers also found boxes with a total of 225 liters of alcoholic beverages in bottles of famous brands of brandy, vodka, whiskey and mastic, all covered with Bulgarian excise labels. The driver of the van did not provide the documents required by the VAT Act for the transported excise goods, stating that they were intended for the wedding of his friend.
The excisable goods transported were seized. An act has been drawn up in the case to establish an administrative violation of the driver of the vehicle.
The Customs Agency reminds that according to the Law on Excise Duties, passengers traveling from Bulgaria to another Member State may carry excise goods up to the quantities specified for personal consumption in the Regulations for the Application of the Law on Excise Duties – up to 800 tobacco products and up to 10 liters of alcoholic beverages .
Source: Customs Agency
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