Border guards discovered 51,000 packs of cigarettes in a truck carrying furniture

Border guards at the “Mogyliv-Podilskyi” border crossing prevented the illegal export of 51,200 packs of cigarettes without excise tax stamps to Moldova. The illegal cargo was discovered during an inspection of a DAF truck driven by a Moldovan citizen, based on prior intelligence.

The contraband tobacco was hidden behind a double wall in the semi-trailer among a shipment of furniture—wardrobes and dressers. In connection with this incident, law enforcement officers seized the cigarettes, the vehicle, and the semi-trailer. The truck driver was charged with large-scale smuggling of excise goods committed by a group of individuals; he faces criminal charges.

Source: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

Earlier, in the Chernivtsi region, law enforcement officials uncovered preparations for the illegal smuggling of counterfeit tobacco products across the state border.

As a reminder, the level of illegal trade in tobacco products in Ukraine in February 2026 showed a downward trend, standing at 17.6% compared to 17.8% in October of last year.