Published: 2025-01-29
An international investigation has led to the arrest of ten suspected members of a cigarette smuggling ring operating across Europe.
Over several years, the group allegedly smuggled 1.5 billion untaxed cigarettes into the EU, causing an estimated tax loss of over €550 million.
The operation involved 150 shipping containers, with the cigarettes produced in Turkey and Iran and disguised in shipping documents.
Authorities in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands executed 10 arrest warrants and 15 search operations.
The investigation, which began in 2020, also uncovered 51 tons of untaxed hookah tobacco.
Despite earlier arrests in 2020, the group continued its activities, prompting this latest crackdown.
Related articles in German:
Milliarden Zigaretten geschmuggelt - zehn Festnahmen
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Bande soll 1,5 Milliarden Zigaretten in die EU geschmuggelt haben
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Zigarettenschmuggel: Zehn Festnahmen in drei Ländern
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Zoll entdeckt 1,5 Milliarden unversteuerte Zigaretten - zehn Festnahmen bei Razzia
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Milliarden Zigaretten geschmuggelt - zehn Festnahmen
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Milliarden Zigaretten geschmuggelt - zehn Festnahmen
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Milliarden Zigaretten geschmuggelt - zehn Festnahmen - WELT
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