9 smugglers arrested with 70 million illegal cigarrettes in Lithuania
April 11th, 2011 - 7:09 pm ICT by BNO NewsBRUSSELS (BNO NEWS) — The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) on Monday announced the arrest of nine people in Lithuania for the illegal smuggling of cigarettes after an extensive investigation that resulted in the seizure of millions of cigarrettes.
The criminal investigation, which had been coordinating for over a year, involving law enforcement authorities in Lithuania, Poland and Germany, resulted in the seizure of almost 70 million cigarettes, preventing estimated losses of €6 million ($8.67 million) to the European taxpayer.
Lithuanian courts authorized for the nine suspects to remain under custody for three months in order to carry out further investigations into the incident and illegal operations. All of the cigarettes seized in this investigation were smuggled from Russia and Ukraine.
“This is a great result and I would like to congratulate the investigation team, particularly the Lithuanian Customs who initiated this investigation,” said Giovanni Kessler, Director General of OLAF. “Coordinated international cooperation is the key to success, as this case clearly demonstrates. Significant financial losses have been prevented and OLAF will continue to support this investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Financial losses to the EU and Member States’ budgets as a result of cigarette smuggling are estimated to be €10 billion ($14.46 billion) a year.
- Illegal Spring Valley, NY lottery operation taken down - Feb 12, 2010
- Kleiza returns to Raptors after 11-month absence - Jan 12, 2012
- We are the best place to do business: Lithuanian foreign minister (Interview) - Dec 04, 2009
- Lithuanian delegation talks trade with FICCI - Dec 02, 2009
- China's smuggling kingpin gets jail for life - May 18, 2012
- ITC subsidiary faces double whammy in Nepal - Aug 21, 2011
- Fake Olympic goods seized in Britain - Jun 08, 2012
- Japan's Panasonic projects wider loss for current fiscal - Feb 03, 2012
- Europe agrees to 1 trillion euro fund for new bailout plan - Oct 27, 2011
- Black market costs Britain $47 bn pounds - Apr 09, 2012
- Lithuania to open embassy in Delhi, consulate in Mumbai - Nov 30, 2009
- Ayurveda drawing distant Lithuanians to India - Dec 07, 2009
- Brazil busts $625 mn tax-evasion racket - Aug 18, 2011
- UAE, Lithuania to tighten economic ties - May 08, 2012
- Lithuania harboured secret CIA prison to interrogate Qaeda terrorists: Report - Nov 20, 2009
Tags: bno, budgets, cigarette smuggling, cigarettes, cigarrettes, criminal investigation, director general, financial losses, fraud office, giovanni kessler, illegal operations, international cooperation, investigation team, law enforcement authorities, lithuanian customs, member states, olaf, perpetrators, seizure, smugglers