A joint operation by the Tax Agency and the Guardia Civil

• There are two detainees of Portuguese nationality 
• The vehicle in which they were transporting the smuggled tobacco has also been seized.

January 19, 2023 .- Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency and agents from the Civil Guard, in a joint operation, have seized 100 kilos of chopped tobacco without the regulatory seals that was being transported in the trunk of a vehicle and have arrested two people of Portuguese nationality related to the events.

The investigation began at the end of 2022, when an operation was carried out in which unsealed tobacco was seized from one of the detainees, and the corresponding report was drawn up for an administrative smuggling offence. Following this intervention, the detainee was under investigation.

The operation was carried out on January 12, when the suspect was detected in the Gurugú neighborhood of Badajoz driving a vehicle.

Given the existing indications that he might be transporting contraband tobacco, he was instructed to stop the vehicle using light and sound signals. Once the two occupants were identified, the car was recognized and registered. After being questioned, one of the detainees stated that they were carrying 100 kilos of chopped tobacco, a fact that was confirmed by the search.

The operations continued at the premises of the Customs Surveillance Operational Unit of the Regional Customs and Excise Department of the Tax Agency of Badajoz, where it was confirmed by weighing that what was seized was 100 kilos of chopped tobacco. Samples were subsequently taken for analysis.

As a result, the two people involved in the incident were arrested for questioning and the vehicle transporting the goods was seized.