site.btaSerbian National Charged with Smuggling Shisha Tobacco

A 35-year-old Serbian national, identified by his initials M.T., has been charged with smuggling a total of 302.4 kg of shisha tobacco with unpaid excise duty, the Sofia Appellate Prosecution Office said in a press release on Wednesday.

A cargo truck-and-trailer, driven by M.T., arrived from Serbia at the Kalotina Border-crossing Checkpoint on August 25. The driver declared to Bulgarian customs the cargo as separators destined for Turkiye. Based on a risk-analysis, the vehicle was X-rayed and the undeclared tobacco was found concealed in the cargo bay, distributed in 62 cardboard boxes.

Pre-trial proceedings have been instituted in connection with carrying across the international border a large quantity of merchandise without the knowledge and permission of customs, which constitutes a criminal offence under Bulgaria's Penal Code. The investigation has collected sufficient evidence implicating the man.

He is held for 72 hours under a prosecutor's warrant. The court will shortly consider the motion of the prosecution office to remand the accused in custody as a supervision measure.