Customs strikes: 170,000 cigarettes and smuggling goods discovered in Vienna!

Customs strikes: 170,000 cigarettes and smuggling goods discovered in Vienna!

Flughafen Wien, 2320 Schwechat, Österreich - A sensational customs campaign at Vienna-Schwechat Airport caused a stir at the end of October! A total of 170,000 cigarettes and various smuggling goods were confiscated in eleven suitcases. "Such quantities have never been over in travel traffic," said Roland Karner, team leader at Zoll, who has been working at the airport since 1991. The three suspects, all male and from Cairo, are now faced with the challenge of paying fines of up to 80,000 euros, since financial criminal proceedings have been initiated against them. With an impressive amount of 852 rods cigarettes, around 50 kilograms of shisha tobacco and almost 6,300 potency pills, this action led to a historic large intervention that was carried out on October 31.

The customs officers had become aware of the smugglers at an early stage thanks to careful risk analyzes. At first, a 61-year-old Italian was targeted, whose four suitcases only contained cigarettes and hookah tobacco. But that was just the beginning! When two other men, a 30-year-old Frenchman and a 49-year-old, tried to escape control by wanting to stop their suitcases, the customs officers also discovered plenty of cigarettes, shisha tobacco and the notorious potency pills in these luggage. "Our risk analyzes work," said Michael Kalcher, customs area manager, and emphasized the efficiency in the fight against illegal trade.

Important information on travel freights

In addition, it is important to consider which import rules apply to travelers from non-EU countries. According to the customs authorities, tobacco products may only be introduced in duty -free: a maximum of 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of smoking tobacco if the traveler is at least 17 years old. This note underlines the strict provisions to protect against smuggling and illegal trade in Austria, as well as the extensive reporting on the customs website.

Finance Minister Gunter Mayr praised the targeted procedure: "If the right ones are drawn out of millions of suitcases, the professionalism in the fight against smuggling shows." The seized goods are a clear sign that the efforts of the customs are successful, and the protection of lawfully economy companies are in the top priority, as Zoll.de reports.