Impressive capture at the northern border – Truck loaded with over 2.6 million cigarettes worth half a million euros

On March 31, 2025, at around 06:00, at the Siret Border Crossing Point, Suceava County, a truck consisting of a tractor unit and a semi-trailer, registered in Ukraine, appeared on the way into Romania. The vehicle was driven by a 55-year-old Ukrainian citizen, who, according to the accompanying documents of the cargo, was transporting pallets of mineral wool thermal insulation boards.

Based on the risk analysis and reasonable suspicions regarding the cargo, the border guards requested the intervention of the customs team for a detailed control of the truck. Following the scanning and physical inspection, 267 boxes were identified in the front of the semi-trailer, containing a total of 133,500 packs of cigarettes of various brands, hidden by the “lid” method, behind pallets of construction materials. The total value of the seizure is estimated at over 2,580,000 lei (approximately 516,000 euros). The entire quantity of cigarettes was confiscated, and the truck, valued at 75,000 lei, was impounded at the Siret Border Police Sector headquarters, until the investigation is completed.