State Border Guard Service of Ukraine
None of the smuggled cigarette packs had excise stamps on them.
Ukrainian border guards report a brazen attempt to smuggle a major batch of cigarettes to Hungary via the Tisa checkpoint in Zakarpattia region overnight Saturday, September 26.
The perpetrator presented what turned out to be a completely forged diplomatic ID, thus trying to streamline customs routine at the checkpoint and evade a checkup of the van he was driving, the State Border Guard Service reported.
Also, the law enforcers ran the van's "diplomatic" license plates, which also turned out to be fake.
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Border guards say they are looking into possible complicity in the smuggling attempt of customs operatives at the checkpoint.
Meanwhile, the driver is believed to have committed two criminal offenses: smuggling of excise goods and forgery. Procedural actions are underway.
The market value of seized cigarettes is yet to be established after they are properly counted and evaluated.