Customs officials at the Blace border crossing, at the entrance to the country, prevented an attempt to smuggle a total of 120 kilograms of hookah tobacco, worth 384 thousand denars, which were intended for sale on the Macedonian market.
A criminal complaint has been filed against the perpetrator by the Investigation Department for the criminal offense of "smuggling", punishable under the Criminal Code.
This prevented an attempt at illegal trade in excise goods for which the payment of duties in the amount of 744 thousand denars was avoided, of which 342 thousand denars refer to excise duty.
The perpetrator FB, a citizen of North Macedonia, had supplied a total of 480 packages of 250-gram hookah tobacco from a person in Pristina and had hidden the same in the luggage, placing part of it in the spare wheel well, while covering the rest with a cover. During entry into the country, when asked by customs officials if he had anything to declare, the person declared that he had nothing.
Due to suspicion in the given declaration, the officials conducted a detailed check, which resulted in the discovery of undeclared tobacco products. Since the beginning of the year, the Customs Directorate has uncovered four cases of criminal offenses related to smuggling and illegal trade in tobacco products, for which relevant criminal charges have been filed with the competent prosecutor's office.
Illegal tobacco endangers the health of citizens and undermines legal trade, therefore the Customs Directorate continuously implements actions aimed at preventing attempts to smuggle tobacco and tobacco products.
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