On Tuesday, 3 December, border guards acted on information that smuggling might be taking place in Šalčininkai district, in a forested area near a village some 3 kilometres from the Lithuanian-Belarusian border. They blocked off the area and an officer with a dog, a Belgian Shepherd, was called in for the search operation.
Border guards soon noticed a Volkswagen Transporter van with Lithuanian number plates whose doors were open. Ninety boxes containing a total of 45,000 packs of cigarettes Minsk 5 Superslims, NZ Gold and Queen Menthol with Belarusian tax stamps were found inside. Their market value in Lithuania is estimated at over EUR 203,000.
Border guards also caught a 31-year-old Belarusian citizen who tried to flee. He has a residence permit in Lithuania and lives in Šalčininkai district.
Continuing their investigation, VSAT officers identified the owner of the vehicle, a citizen of Lithuania, and conducted a search at his home.
The Belarusian man was released on a written undertaking not to leave the country, his documents were taken and he was obliged to register with the police periodically.
The van was impounded and together with the smuggled cigarettes is stored at a border guard unit in Varėna.
In 2024, border guards have seized more than 1.29 million packs of illicit cigarettes.