Combating tobacco smuggling

• A person has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the events
• The value of the seized tobacco exceeds 73,000 euros

May 19, 2023.- Customs Surveillance Officials from the Tax Agency proceeded on May 9 in Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz) to seize more than 16,000 packs of cigarettes of various commercial brands and to the arrest of a person allegedly responsible for a smuggling crime.

In the operation carried out against tobacco smuggling from Campo de Gibraltar, a surveillance and tracking device was deployed after which it was possible to identify both the vehicle dedicated to transport and the warehouse in the Jerez town where the contraband was hidden. .

Subsequently, Customs Surveillance investigators immediately arrested the driver of the vehicle as allegedly responsible for a smuggling crime and seized the tobacco located inside the vehicle and in the warehouse.

The value of the seized tobacco products exceeds 73,000 euros, with 15,000 euros being the limit established by law to differentiate the crime from the administrative offense of smuggling when it comes to this type of stagnant goods.

Once the operation was completed, both the detainee and the seized tobacco were transferred to the Customs Surveillance offices in Jerez in order to formalize the pertinent actions.

All the actions, vehicle, effects and gender intervened, together with the detainee, were placed at the disposal of the Investigating Court acting as guard of those of Jerez de la Frontera.

This action is part of the control plan established by the Tax Agency in the fight against smuggling.