site.btaCustoms Officers Seize 5,278 Boxes of Cigarettes from France-Bound Truck at Turkish Border

Customs officers at the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint intercepted and seized 105,560 cigarettes (5,278 boxes) hidden in a truck transporting furniture to France, the Regional Press Centre of the Customs Agency in Svilengrad reported Wednesday. 

The truck driver, a Turkish citizen, presented documents claiming the vehicle carried only furniture from Turkiye to France through Bulgaria. Risk analysis flagged the vehicle for detailed inspection, including X-ray scanning, which revealed unusual densities within the cargo. A subsequent physical inspection uncovered the cigarettes concealed in cavities of the furniture, all without Bulgarian excise stamps.

The contraband was confiscated, and the driver was issued an official report. Since the beginning of the year, Kapitan Andreevo customs officers have seized over 30 million cigarettes. The previous large seizure occurred on September 21, when more than 2.19 million cigarettes were discovered in a Turkish-registered truck, valued at BGN 824,790.