Two men held in Alytus on suspicion of storing contraband cigarettes worth nearly €29,000

Two residents of Alytus have been detained on suspicion of storing contraband cigarettes worth nearly €29,000, Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reports.

On Thursday, officers from the VSAT Varėna Border District’s Criminal Intelligence Division raided a basement in a multi-apartment building in Alytus and seized 5,540 packs of Marlboro Gold and NZ Gold cigarettes bearing Belarusian tax stamps. The estimated value of the haul, including mandatory taxes in Lithuania, is €28,918.

During the search, officers also found what they suspect to be narcotics and €2,250 in cash at the younger suspect’s apartment. A Škoda Octavia car allegedly linked to the illegal activity was also seized. Both men have been taken into custody.

The VSAT has launched a pre-trial investigation in the Varėna Border District for illegal handling of excise-taxed goods, led by a prosecutor from the Kaunas District Prosecutor’s Office’s Second Criminal Prosecution Division. If convicted, the suspects face fines or up to six years in prison.

The car, illegal cigarettes, cash and suspected narcotics are being held in temporary storage at a VSAT facility while the investigation continues.