In the Vilnius district, border guards seized a shipment of contraband cigarettes worth more than 190 thousand euros and 8 persons suspected of being involved. Among those caught are 3 Belarusian citizens. In addition, the border guards also detained a suspected dishonest officer.
Late Thursday evening, border guards from the VSAT Immunity Board conducted an operation, which also involved colleagues from the VSAT Criminal Investigation Board’s Pre-trial Investigation and Criminal Intelligence Departments, the Special Purpose Board “Kovas” Eastern Division, and the Vilnius Border Unit Criminal Intelligence Department.
On the Vilnius–Utena road, near the village of Vainiškės in the Vilnius district, border guards stopped a Mercedes Benz Sprinter cargo van for inspection. The vehicle with Lithuanian license plates was driven by a 48-year-old resident of the Šalčininkai district.
Inside, VSAT officers found 71 boxes (35,500 packs) of contraband cigarettes with Belarusian tax stamps. The value of this illegal tobacco shipment, including mandatory taxes payable in Lithuania, is nearly 191 thousand euros.
At the same time, border guards also stopped a Volkswagen Passat car, which was driving about 3 kilometers ahead of the van, suspected of escorting it.
This vehicle registered in Lithuania was driven by a 51-year-old Belarusian citizen with a temporary residence permit in Lithuania. Along with him were two other Belarusian citizens aged 25 and 28, also legally in Lithuania.
The seized cigarettes, vehicles, cash, and other items are stored in VSAT units.
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Suspecting involvement in this criminal activity, border guards soon detained residents of the Švenčionys district aged 20, 34, and 38, as well as a suspected dishonest colleague on duty – a 29-year-old junior specialist of the Adutiškis border post.
Continuing procedural actions, searches of the suspects revealed and confiscated an additional 21 thousand packs of cigarettes with Belarusian tax stamps, various sums of money, and other items significant to the pre-trial investigation. According to the pre-trial investigation data, illegal cigarettes may have been flown into Lithuania from Belarus by smugglers using drones.
A pre-trial investigation was launched by VSAT for possession of excise goods when their value exceeds 900 BSI (basic social benefits, formerly MGL), and for abuse of office. The investigation is led by a prosecutor from the Organized Crime and Corruption Investigation Division of the Vilnius District Prosecutor’s Office.
The harshest penalty prescribed by law for these criminal offenses is 6 years of imprisonment. After interrogations, the detainees were assigned preventive measures ranging from written undertakings not to leave to detention. Additionally, the Adutiškis border post officer was suspended from duty, and a service inspection was initiated by VSAT.
The seized cigarettes, vehicles, cash, and other items are stored in VSAT units.
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