Customs records more attempts to bring prohibited goods through Riga Airport
Thursday 13th August 2026 on 16:01 in
Latvia
Customs officers at Riga Airport have recorded a sharp increase in attempts to bring prohibited goods into Latvia, including cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, medicines and food, LSM reported.
Customs inspections identified 1,057 violations in the first half of this year, nearly matching the 1,166 cases recorded during the whole of last year. The number of attempts to bring in narcotic substances has also doubled, from 13 cases last year to 26 this year.
Violations involving the import of cigarettes and alcohol have increased significantly, mainly because travellers exceeded the permitted quantities.
Artūrs Kovaļenko, director of the Analysis and Cooperation Department at the Tax and Customs Police, said officers had also seen more attempts to bring illegal medicines from Egypt and Turkey. The most common preparations found in passengers’ luggage are the sleeping pills Sleepez and Night Calm 3 mg.
Those medicines contain eszopiclone, a substance prohibited in Latvia. Bringing it into the country is punishable as a criminal offence regardless of the quantity. Authorities have launched 23 criminal proceedings during the first half of this year in connection with the import of such sleeping medicines from Egypt and Turkey.
Kovaļenko said travellers often did not realise the consequences of buying the medicines abroad and placing them in their personal luggage. Depending on the offence, the penalties can range from community service to up to five years in prison, as well as a fine.
Customs officers also regularly remove significant quantities of prohibited food products from passengers’ luggage. More than two tonnes of food had already been confiscated in the first half of this year from travellers arriving from countries outside the European Union.
Travellers are increasingly attempting to bring exotic natural souvenirs purchased outside the European Union into Latvia. Customs officers have also observed a new trend involving attempts to import prohibited sleeping medicines.