Smugglers hide quarter-million euros worth of contraband cigarettes in Kretinga district

Border guards in Lithuania’s Kretinga district have seized a haul of contraband cigarettes worth nearly a quarter of a million euros, the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reported.

A 70-year-old resident of Skuodas district was detained on Wednesday evening after officers from the Pakrantė Border Protection Unit’s Criminal Intelligence Division discovered the illegal shipment hidden in a warehouse. The man was found in possession of 44,770 packs of unmarked cigarettes—including brands such as Marlboro Touch, Marlboro Gold, Marlboro Original Gold, Winston Blue, NZ Gold, and Minsk Capital QS—as well as 1,480 packs of Minsk Capital QS bearing Belarusian excise stamps.

The total value of the 46,250 packs of smuggled cigarettes, including all applicable Lithuanian taxes, exceeds €240,000, according to VSAT. Authorities have launched a pre-trial investigation into the illegal handling of excise goods, a crime punishable by fines or up to eight years in prison.

The suspect was initially placed in custody but released the following day after questioning, under a written pledge not to leave the country. He is already known to law enforcement in Lithuania and abroad, with a prior conviction in 2024 for transporting contraband goods, for which he served 18 months in prison. He is currently listed in the probation registry.