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View Full Version : Customs in 2.2m euro tobacco haul at the port of Santa Cruz in North Tenerife



slodgedad
30-05-2011, 15:50
Customs officers at the port of Santa Cruz have cracked a major smuggling operation involving contraband tobacco.

They unearthed a massive amount of cigarette cartons which had been hidden in pallets and between apple boxes. In all, they found 650,000 small boxes in two containers, worth a staggering 2.2 million euros.

Ten arrests have been made, including those of industrialists.

The operation was carried out by the Tributary Agency and the Civil Guard who say the contraband was obviously destined for a European shipment to the Spanish mainland and other countries.

The seizure of the cigarettes was carried out in two operations and both groups were acting in the same manner. The cigarettes were first bought in legal form in the Canary Islands and loaded in containers. They were later hidden amongst other items due for export but already declared. In this way, they eluded Customs' controls.

Once the cigarettes had arrived in Spain, they would either have been distributed or shipped on to Europe.

The tobacco was of various brands including Chesterfield, Fortune, Elite Gold Classic and Mohawk.

It is reported that all ten arrested people are of Spanish nationality.

Canaryislandnews.com (http://www.tenerifenews.com/index.php/news-mainmenu-1/canary-islands/local-news-mainmenu-1/16598-customs-in-22m-euro-tobacco-haul)

tonypub
30-05-2011, 15:53
whats happened to the apples?