Customs officers at the Kapitan Andreevo crossing on the Turkish border have seized 230,000 smuggled cigarettes (11,500 packs) hidden among copper shavings in a lorry, the Customs Agency said.
The Turkish-registered lorry reached the crossing on 6 October. The driver is a Turkish citizen. Its papers said it was carrying sacks of copper shavings from Turkey to Belgium via Bulgaria.
After a risk analysis, officers picked the lorry for a full search, including an X-ray. The scan showed unusual density in the cargo area. Officers then found the cigarettes in 23 boxes among the declared goods. They are of two brands, carry Turkish excise stamps and are worth €45,395 in total.
Officers seized the cigarettes and the lorry used to carry them. A customs investigator has opened pre-trial proceedings, which are supervised by the regional prosecutor's office in Haskovo.