Major Cigarette Smuggling Ring Busted in Munich
Customs officials and Munich II prosecutors have uncovered a major cigarette smuggling operation. The group, comprising six individuals aged 26 to 53 from Germany, Russia, Ukraine, and Afghanistan, is suspected of trading over 8,500 cartons (1.7 million pieces) of smuggled cigarettes since 2019. The operation is estimated to have cost the state around 750,000 EUR in tax revenue.
The suspects, who remain unnamed, sold the contraband to a fixed circle of friends and acquaintances for profit. During raids, authorities seized 835 cartons (167,000 pieces) of untaxed and untaxed cigarettes, along with around 15,000 EUR in cash and a prohibited switchblade. The group is believed to have sold both branded products and counterfeit goods. Around 20 potential customers have been identified, and investigations are ongoing.
The cigarette smuggling operation is suspected to have caused significant tax losses. The six suspects, with diverse nationalities, are now under investigation by the Customs Investigation Office Munich and the Munich II Public Prosecutor's Office. The identities of the suspects and further details are yet to be revealed.
