Smuggled cigarettes seized by Indirect Taxation Authority officers

(Patria) - Officers of the Indirect Taxation Authority seized smuggled cigarettes worth 30,000 BAM at the Pavlovića Most border crossing. A detailed inspection of a passenger motor vehicle of the Renault brand prevented an attempt to smuggle 3,719 packs of cigarettes.

"This excise goods were hidden in specially modified bunkers inside the vehicle, and their value on the BiH market is estimated at 30,000 BAM. The field activities were carried out by authorized officers of the Group for the Prevention of Smuggling and Offenses from the Tuzla regional center and customs officers of the ITA, in cooperation with officers of the Border Police of BiH, JGP Bijeljina. During the field activities, specialist vehicle inspection equipment was used, which was donated to the ITA by the U.S. Government through the EXBS program.

Acting on the order of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH and the Court of BiH, the smuggled cigarettes and the passenger motor vehicle were temporarily seized. Due to reasonable suspicion that the criminal offense of Smuggling, under Article 214 of the Criminal Code of BiH, has been committed, a Report on the committed criminal offense and the perpetrator was submitted to the Prosecutor's Office of BiH. The Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH invites all citizens to report any form of smuggling, customs or VAT evasion to our open line 080 02 06 07. All calls are free and completely anonymous," the ITA stated.