Five arrested in operation against illicit tobacco network in Lisbon area
National Republican Guard detained five men and seized goods valued at over 811,000 euros, including chewing tobacco, cash, weapons and synthetic drugs.
Five arrested in operation against illicit tobacco network in Lisbon area
A National Republican Guard investigation resulted in the detention of five individuals and the seizure of goods valued at over 811,000 euros in connection with a network dedicated to illegal trading of chewing tobacco and other products in the Greater Lisbon region.
The detentions took place on Tuesday, as part of a coordinated operation led by the District Public Prosecutor's Office for Lisbon, which mobilised the Tax Action Unit of the National Republican Guard with reinforcement from the Police Service. In total, 39 search warrants were executed — twelve at residences and twenty-seven at business premises — spread across seven councils in the metropolitan area.
The arrested suspects range in age from 19 to 44 years old. In addition to these individuals, authorities also granted defendant status to four other people and five commercial companies.
The confiscated material included 341.97 kilogrammes of chewing tobacco from India, which is believed to have entered European territory via Germany and the Netherlands. Investigators also collected more than 309,000 euros in cash, approximately 2.9 litres of nicotine liquid and 13 kilogrammes of areca nut, used in the production of the psychoactive substance arecoline.
An additional discovery was a consignment of 771.72 kilogrammes of dried poppy, apparently from Austria, which has already been reported to the competent judicial authorities. Among the items removed from the organisation are also two pistols, eighteen bullets, a dozen mobile phones, automatic packaging equipment, a note-counting machine, jewellery items and various documents.
The estimated tax debt related to these products exceeds 90,000 euros, corresponding to unpaid excise duty and VAT.
The alleged crimes include qualified customs fraud, criminal association, receiving of stolen goods and tobacco smuggling. The detainees were heard on Wednesday at the District Public Prosecutor's Office for Lisbon, where any coercive measures were decided.
Source: Correio da Manhã