A Ukrainian man attempted to smuggle 261 boxes of Chinese “disposable” items from Hungary, disguising them as personal belongings in the trunk of a Mercedes. The case has been referred to the State Bureau of Investigation.
At the “Luzhanka” international border crossing on the Ukrainian-Hungarian border, servicemen from the Mukachevo Border Guard Detachment, together with customs officials, disrupted an illegal channel for importing excise-taxable goods.
During an inspection of a passenger car, a large shipment of undeclared e-cigarettes was discovered, with an estimated market value of nearly one million hryvnias.
Details of the bust at the border crossing
A Mercedes driven by a Ukrainian citizen pulled into the “Entry into Ukraine” lane at the border crossing point:
- In-depth inspection: Based on a risk assessment, the vehicle was directed to a special area for a detailed inspection;
- Scale of the discovery: Among the driver’s travel bags and personal belongings, inspectors found 261 boxes of Chinese-made e-cigarettes of various brands;
- Quantity of goods: A total of 2,610 smoking devices were seized; they were being transported without paying customs duties and without being declared.
Referral of the Case to the Economic Security Bureau
Since the driver’s actions appear to involve smuggling and the illegal trafficking of excise goods, border guards officially filed a report of an offense under Article 204 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal manufacture, storage, sale, or transportation for the purpose of selling excise goods) with the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau in Zakarpattia Oblast.
All undeclared cargo was seized. Detectives from the Economic Security Bureau will determine the origin of the goods and the final recipients of the shipment.
