Police in the western Lubusz province have detained 11 people who were involved in smuggling cigarettes through Poland’s eastern borders, and avoided paying duty on the tobacco products to the tune of over 2 million zloty (488,000 euro).

The criminal gang was in operation for three years before being caught by police forces from the western city of Gorzow, after being the go-ahead from prosecutors in the western city of Poznan.

During the bust, police seized a number of vehicles worth 520,000 zloty and around 80,000 zloty in cash.

Police have concluded that the gang, which consisted of 11 people residing in the western province but who dealt in the contraband cigarettes nation-wide, sold the products at a black-market value of 1.75 million zloty, causing a loss of 2.28 million zloty in revenue to the State Treasury in duty and VAT.

The members of the gang now await trial, with possible sentences ranging from 3 months to 5 years in prison. (jb)

Source: PAP

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