Bulgarian PM Vows to Eradicate Cigarette Contraband by Feb 2012

Nine million contraband cigarettes were busted Tuesday at the Varna West Port in the Bulgarian Black Sea capital. File photo by Sofia Photo Agency

The deadline to bring an end to all cigarettes smuggling in Bulgaria is February 2012, Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, says.

Borisov, who along with the Head of the Customs Agency, Vanyo Tanov, is on a Tuesday visit to the Varna West Port in the Black Sea capital, made the statement in connection with the news that 9 million contraband cigarettes have been busted on the same day, at the same port.

The cigarettes from the Palermo and Ibiza brands have been located by the Varna Customs agents on a ship, traveling, under an Antigua and Barbuda flag, from Poti in Georgia to Varna via Burgas.

The PM pointed out his cabinet has achieved great results in the fight against cigarette contraband by catching large quantities of the latter, way more compared to the past. He explained the Customs are now trying to use scanners and other technical equipment in an attempt to limit the human factor because in a resort city like Varna the smuggled cigarettes are easy to sell for great profit, part of which could be used to bribe Customs agents.

Borisov said Tanov would show more "things" later, but did not elaborate on details. The two are monitoring Tuesday afternoon the check of the Customs at the Varna West Port.

"The issue here is to find who and why kept quiet about the smuggling; fire them and make them face legal actions," the PM declared, adding Tanov and he were using "small tricks" to monitor cigarettes contraband all while working in partnership with the EU, where the focus is precisely on such contraband.

"In Germany and the UK losses from cigarettes contraband amount to BGN 5 B. I hope that by the end of the day one of the largest EU anti-smuggling operation will come to conclusion," Borisov stated.

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