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Record-breaking batch of illegal cigarettes seized in Romania, transported by a Ukrainian citizen

Record-breaking batch of illegal cigarettes seized in Romania, transported by a Ukrainian citizen

24 December 2025, 17:40

Record-breaking batch of illegal cigarettes seized in Romania, transported by a Ukrainian citizen — illegal cigarettes seized in Romania

Romanian customs officers seized 1.2 million counterfeit cigarettes without excise stamps. The cargo was in transit through Romania, and the final market was to be the UK

Inspectors of the Regional Customs Directorate of Brasov seized a record-breaking batch of illegal tobacco products during operational activities in Sibiu County. During the inspection of several vehicles, law enforcement officers found 60,000 packs of cigarettes, amounting to 1 million 200,000 pieces, without excise stamps and documents of origin. This was reported by The Public with reference to Newsbv.ro.

Counterfeit cigarettes were hidden among legally declared hygiene products. The transport was carried out by a citizen of Ukraine, who explained that the cargo was loaded in Greece and was to be delivered to Ukraine, using Romania as a transit country only.

According to journalist Yevhen Plinsky on Telegram, according to European law enforcement, the seized products are not related to the Ukrainian market. These are counterfeit Davidoff cigarettes whose final destination was the UK. The scheme is controlled by a tobacco criminal group from Poland, which purchases illegal products from clandestine factories in Greece.

Experts say that the UK remains one of the most profitable markets for illicit tobacco. The cost of one box of cigarettes on the black market there reaches £900 to £1000, which is equivalent to about $1,300, while the cost of production at illegal factories in Greece is only $200 to $300. Such a margin compensates for the complex logistics and even losses from detentions.

The seized cigarettes were detained by the Romanian Customs Authority for further examination. The customs service said it would continue to actively fight smuggling in cooperation with European partners, including OLAF.

According to the project Monitoring of Illegal Trade in Tobacco Products in Ukraine, conducted by Kantar Ukraine, the share of illegal tobacco products reached 17.8% compared to 15.4% in July this year. Budget losses amounted to UAH 26.5 billion. The reboot of the BES did not stop the growth of the shadow cigarette market.

Photo: Newsbv.ro

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