Customs control in Ulm - More than 38,000 smuggled cigarettes in trucks
A truck driver is alleged to have smuggled more than 38,300 untaxed cigarettes from Turkey across the German border. Customs officials reportedly inspected the 63-year-old's vehicle on the A8 highway near Ulm on Thursday.
Instead of the declared 14 packs, the man was found to be transporting hundreds of cigarette packs. All available spaces were filled: according to customs, the contraband was found in the fire extinguisher compartment, sewn into the mattress, in the hollow spaces of the side and rear walls, storage compartments, and the undercarriage.
The officers seized the contraband and initiated a tax evasion case against the driver. Fines totaling 9,885 euros for tobacco tax and security were imposed. The 63-year-old reportedly intended to use the cigarette sales to pay off his debts.
The smuggled cigarettes had an otherworldly volume, as officials discovered a capacity of thousands within the vehicle's hidden spaces. The fire extinguisher compartment, mattress, and various nooks and crannies were all utilized to transport these contraband goods.
