Around 1.2 million cigarettes have been seized in the first joint customs operation targeting rail traffic along the EU Eastern border. Twenty-four EU Member States, Croatia, Turkey, Norway and Switzerland participated in the operation which was organized by the Polish Customs Service in close cooperation with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
Around 1.2 million cigarettes have been seized in the first joint customs operation targeting rail traffic along the EU Eastern border. Twenty-four EU Member States, Croatia, Turkey, Norway and Switzerland participated in the operation which was organized by the Polish Customs Service in close cooperation with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
The final results of the operation were made public recently at the Polish Customs Service in Sopot in Poland. The results could only be made public now not to interfere with further enquiries which had to be performed by the various customs authorities.
“Customs checks at the EU border are key to protecting our taxpayers’ money and our legitimate businesses. The Commission and customs authorities in the Member States and in neighboring countries have to work side by side to combat smuggling and all kinds of customs fraud. I am very happy with the successful results of this operation and strongly encourage more of these joint actions in the future” said Algirdas Šemeta, Commissioner for taxation, customs and anti-fraud.
The cigarettes seized during the operation were found on freight trains carrying wood and iron. They represent losses of at least one quarter of a million euros in terms of evaded customs duties and taxes. The European Commission estimates that smuggling of tobacco products costs the EU and Member States approximately 10 billion euros in revenue losses every year.
This customs operation received support from the European Commission’s Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD), Europol, Frontex and the World Customs Organization. It is one of the activities of the Eastern Border Action Plan which Commissioner Šemeta launched last year to increase the Commission’s efforts to reduce smuggling and customs fraud along the EU Eastern border.
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