Large cargo of smuggled cigarettes allegedly made in Latvia detained in Lithuania

Employees of the Lithuanian Customs Criminal Service near the Lithuanian city of Mariampolje intercepted a truck with a consignment of smuggled cigarettes worth more than 2 million euros. It's reported by sb.by.

It is one of the largest consignments of illegal cigarettes intercepted in 2026. It is noted that the truck was almost 800 boxes of Winston Blue (396 thousand packs), they were transported under the guise of a batch of industrial boilers.

Officials speculate that the cigarettes may have been manufactured in an underground factory in Latvia.

A Lithuanian citizen driving the truck was detained for two days, and a pre-trial investigation into illegal storage of excisable goods was launched in the Kaunas branch of the Customs Criminal Service. The investigation is conducted by prosecutors of the Kaunas district prosecutor's office. A search was also carried out at the suspect's house in Vilkavishk district. During the searches, equipment for filtration of alcohol and 524 liters of illegal alcohol spilled in five- and three-liter containers were found.