Prosecutors take 10 million cigarette smuggling case to court
Friday 28th August 2026 on 08:45 in
Latvia
Latvian prosecutors have sent to court a case against another alleged member of an international organised group accused of smuggling 10 million cigarettes from Belarus, LSM reported. The smuggling caused losses of approximately 1.5 million euros to the state.
On August 18, a prosecutor from the Latgale Court District Prosecutor’s Office submitted the criminal case to the Latgale District Court. The charge against the accused was brought at the same time as charges against the other group members, but proceedings against him were separated because he avoided the pre-trial criminal process.
In August 2018, the organised group brought 10 million cigarettes from Belarus into Latvia through the Paternieki customs control point. The cigarettes were smuggled in violation of the rules governing the circulation of excise goods, with the shipment undeclared and forged documents used.
Three officials from the State Revenue Service Customs Administration were also members of the group, according to prosecutors.
The cigarettes were worth 1.712 million euros. By avoiding customs duty, excise duty and value-added tax payments, the group caused material losses of approximately 1.507 million euros to the state.
The offence carries a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years, with or without confiscation of property, and probation supervision for up to three years. A court may also bar a convicted person from certain or all types of commercial activity, particular occupations or holding certain positions for up to five years.
The prosecutor’s office stressed that avoiding criminal proceedings does not allow a person to evade liability. In such cases, prosecutors continue the necessary procedural actions to bring the person to justice in accordance with the law.
Prosecutors also reiterated that no person is considered guilty until their guilt in committing a criminal offence has been established in accordance with the procedure set out in the Criminal Procedure Law.