The seizure took place on a national road in Środa County during a routine inspection conducted by officers of the Lower Silesian Customs and Tax Office in Wrocław. After checking the vehicle’s cargo area, the officers discovered cartons filled with illegal tobacco products (nearly 1.4 million illegal cigarettes).
The van driver denied transporting contraband. According to the authorities, he had no documents confirming the legal origin of the goods. He also claimed that he did not know what was inside the cartons being transported.
The seized cigarettes and the vehicle were taken to the deposit warehouse of the Lower Silesian Customs and Tax Office in Wrocław. The driver was detained and charged with fiscal offenses.
He faces a heavy fine or even imprisonment for the illegal transport of excise goods. The court will decide the suspect’s further fate.
According to KAS estimates, if the seized cigarettes had reached the market, the State Treasury could have lost approximately PLN 2.3 million in unpaid taxes and excise duty.
The authorities remind the public that cigarette smuggling remains one of the most frequently detected fiscal offenses in Poland. Inspections on national roads are intended to limit illegal trade and protect the legitimate market.
