site.btaCustoms Officers Seize 80,000 Contraband Cigarettes at Border with Turkiye

Customs officers seized 80,000 contraband cigarettes in 4,000 packs hidden in a truck at the Kapitan Andreevo Checkpoint on Bulgaria's border with Turkiye, the National Customs Agency announced here on Tuesday. 

The foreign-registered vehicle, driven by a Turkish national, arrived at Kapitan Andreevo on August 31, 2025. In the customs control area, the driver produced documents stating that he was transporting cargo from Turkiye to the Netherlands and said he had nothing to declare.  

Based on a risk analysis, customs officers selected the truck for a thorough inspection and, using specialized X-ray equipment and manual inspection, they found boxes with contraband cigarettes hidden among the declared goods. 

The 4,000 packs were of various brands, bearing Turkish excise stamps. The driver was issued a written statement of an administrative violation. 

Since the beginning of the year, customs officers at Kapitan Andreevo have seized over 26.42 million contraband cigarettes, the Agency added.