Smugglers find nearly 70,000 euros worth of contraband cigarettes in Vilnius home and car

Customs officers in Vilnius have uncovered nearly 70,000 euros worth of smuggled cigarettes in a local resident’s home, outbuildings, and vehicle, LRT reports.

Acting on information from Latvian counterparts, officers from the Vilnius Customs Criminal Intelligence and Pre-Trial Investigation Division conducted a search on Friday evening at a 62-year-old Vilnius resident’s private property in the Aukštieji Paneriai district. During the search of the residential house, utility buildings, and a Fiat Doblo cargo van with Lithuanian registration plates, authorities discovered a large quantity of illegal cigarettes.

Officials counted 12,821 packs of cigarettes across ten different brands. Less than half lacked any excise stamps, while the rest bore Belarusian tax bands. The estimated total value of the seized cigarettes, including all applicable taxes in Lithuania, is nearly 70,000 euros, according to the Customs Service.

A pre-trial investigation has been launched by the Vilnius Customs Service for the illegal handling of excisable goods exceeding 900 BSI (Basic Social Benefits, with 1 BSI set at 74 euros in 2026). The offence carries a potential penalty of fines or up to eight years in prison under Lithuanian law.

The suspect was detained and temporarily held at the Vilnius Customs detention facility. After questioning, he was released under written undertaking not to leave and with his documents confiscated.

The seized cigarettes are being stored at the Vilnius Customs Service. Authorities noted that counterfeit versions of well-known brands such as Marlboro, Winston, and Omega are also produced in underground factories in Latvia, some of which have already been shut down by officials. Customs officers do not rule out the possibility that the cigarettes without excise stamps may have originated from the neighbouring country.