Man arrested in Alicante with 255,000 packets of illegal tobacco
National Police arrested a driver in Alicante who was transporting illicit tobacco valued at 1.4 million euros. The discovery was made when officers were providing assistance during storm Dana Alice.
Motorway intervention uncovers smuggling cargo
According to El Confidencial, National Police officers have arrested a man in Alicante on suspicion of involvement in offences against the Smuggling Act and against Industrial Property. The suspect was driving a lorry loaded with 255,000 packets of illegal tobacco.
The operation began when members of the Citizen Security Brigade of the Benidorm Police Station were travelling to Dénia to assist with emergencies arising from storm Dana Alice. During the journey, officers detected a large truck stopped on the motorway hard shoulder, which posed a risk to traffic.
When officers stopped the vehicle to assist the driver and secure the road, the man's behaviour was "extremely nervous", according to the Police. His answers about the destination and contents of the trailer were categorised as "incoherent". He claimed he was transporting napkins, despite the documents indicating other products.
The inconsistency between his explanations and the consignment note prompted a search of the trailer. Officers found 17 pallets concealed under black film loaded with illegal tobacco packets. The total reached 255,000 packets, equivalent to 5,100,000 cigarettes, valued at €1,440,750.
This quantity exceeds the legal threshold established for classifying smuggling as an offence. The arrested man had a police record for other matters.
Source: El Confidencial