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Customs Seize 75,000 Cigarettes Hidden in Worktops on A8 Near Leipheim

Authorities initiated a tax evasion investigation after using a large-scale X-ray scanner to uncover the concealed cigarettes.

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Overview

  • The driver falsely declared that the truck carried furniture from Turkey to England and denied transporting taxable goods.
  • Investigators found the cigarettes hidden inside twelve laminated worktops, each concealing nearly 6,300 sticks.
  • The seizure is part of a broader EU crackdown that leverages high-tech detection and multinational cooperation to combat cross-border tobacco smuggling.
  • Authorities have referred the driver for criminal prosecution on suspicion of tax evasion under German customs law.
  • Officials estimate the smuggle deprived the government of more than €19,700 in excise duties.