Over the last few days the Tax Agency has taken part in various anti-smuggling and piracy operations in collaboration with the Civil Guard in Barcelona and Vigo and the Municipal Police in Madrid. In total, 126,000 counterfeit items valued at 4,210,000 euros and 1,520,000 packets of smuggled cigarettes valued at 3,497,100 euros were seized.

OPERATION 'FLAQUIDERMO'

Operation "Flaquidermo" was executed in collaboration with the Municipal Police of Madrid on 16th October, with several searches conducted in Madrid and Leganés. As a result, 45,070 euros in cash, 48,990 packets of cigarettes, 60,272 cosmetic items, 5,697 watches, 4,883 pairs of sunglasses, 1,450 glasses cases, 4,350 bags, wallets and belts, 281 garments, 200 pieces of costume jewellery, 220 video game consoles, 49 electric razors, 228 fountain pens and biros and 14 mobile telephones were confiscated.

The operation resulted in the arrest and criminal charging of two people. A vehicle was impounded and several bank accounts with a total balance of 100,000 euros were frozen.

MORE OPERATIONS IN THE PORTS OF BARCELONA AND VIGO

In an operation carried out in several phases in collaboration with the Civil Guard, the Tax Agency seized a first shipment of 462,500 smuggled packets of allegedly fake cigarettes that had arrived in a container sent from China which was declared to contain taps and related goods.

After the container was opened it was revealed to contain smuggled John Player cigarettes. Subsequent investigations resulted in the interception of another container which had arrived at the port of Barcelona, also from China, declared to contain sporting goods. When the container was opened it was found to hold 465,500 packets of smuggled John Player, Benson & Hedges and Superking cigarettes, all allegedly fake.

On both occasions the packets bore falsified Irish excise stamps, leading investigators to believe that a final transshipment to Ireland was planned. Another 92,000 packs of smuggled Marlboro cigarettes, allegedly fake and bearing falsified Spanish excise stamps, were seized from a warehouse located in the town of Molins de Rei.

In all cases the identity of the recipient company had been misused. The importations had been carried out without the consent of the companies by third parties who had falsified the commercial documentation enabling the process. The cigarettes seized have been handed over to the Police Courts, and criminal proceedings have been initiated in said Courts.

On a related note, on Monday 25th October the Tax Agency confiscated 500,000 packets of Marlboro cigarettes in the port of Vigo.

The smuggled cigarettes were detected in a container sent from China headed for Portugal. The cigarettes were hidden amongst other goods and had been declared as glassware.

Members of the press interested in obtaining pictures of the items seized may contact the Tax Agency's Press Office.