Another attempt to smuggle cigarettes in a fuel tanker: ESBU notified a logistics company driver of suspicion

 The driver of a cargo vehicle tried to illegally move smuggled cigarettes worth over 4.4 million UAH to Romania, hiding more than 105 thousand packs in specially equipped compartments of the tanker truck. Detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Chernivtsi region notified him of suspicion of smuggling exciseable goods.

The investigation established that the cargo vehicle with a semi-trailer tanker was moving in transit mode through the territory of the Republic of Moldova without cargo. Law enforcement officers were already aware of this method of hiding tobacco products. Earlier, detectives of the Territorial Office of the ESBU in the Chernivtsi region exposed an identical scheme and seized over 800 thousand packs of cigarettes worth 60 million UAH during searches, which the organizers planned to illegally move to EU countries.

Therefore, during customs control, the vehicle was checked thoroughly. During weighing, customs officers revealed a discrepancy between the actual mass of the car and the data of the registration documents.

After an in-depth customs inspection, 280 boxes of cigarettes of a well-known brand with excise tax stamps, with an estimated value of over 4.4 million UAH, were discovered in specially equipped compartments of the tanker truck.

Detectives of the TO of the ESBU in the Chernivtsi region notified the driver of suspicion under part 2 of article 201-4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The court selected a preventive measure for him in the form of house arrest.

The pretrial investigation is ongoing.

Operational support is carried out by employees of the 31st Border Guard Detachment of the State Border Guard Service. Procedural guidance is provided by the Chernivtsi Regional Prosecutor's Office.

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered innocent of committing a crime until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a court verdict that has entered into force.