On Friday, the Slovak Financial Administration informed Fairpress that in the west of the country they seized almost eight tons of tobacco, over 325 thousand pieces of unmarked cigarettes, various equipment and cars. “Hungarian colleagues uncovered an illegal cigarette production line, 156,000 cigarettes and 5.5 tons of tobacco,” the office said.
The operation in the Trnava district was equipped with sound and thermal insulation, the consumption of electricity was masked by industrial aggregates, and the signal of mobile, radio and wireless networks was disturbed in the vicinity of the building.
Evasion of excise duty on tobacco products amounted to 2.54 million euros (61.4 million crowns) in Slovakia and exceeded one million euros (24 million crowns) in Hungary.
Four people face charges in Slovakia and one in Hungary. They face up to ten years in prison.
The Criminal Office of the Financial Administration, the customs offices of Bratislava and Trnava, and the Hungarian Tax and Customs Administration collaborated on the case. The operation to apprehend the perpetrators was the result of long-term international cooperation.
