Bulgarian PM Labels Varna Contraband Bust Major EU Operation

Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov (right), during the Customs probe at the Varna West port. Photo by BGNES

The 9 million pieces of contraband cigarettes, which were detained Tuesday at the Varna West port in Bulgaria's Black Sea capital, are part of a major international Customs operation.

The information was reported by Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, who along with the Head of the Customs Agency, Vanyo Tanov, monitored Tuesday afternoon the check of the Customs at the Varna West Port.

According to Borisov, this has been one of the most large-scale anti-smuggling operations in the EU ever.

The cigarettes have arrived on a ship from Dubai and the authorities already know the company which ordered the shipment, whose value is preliminary assessed at BGN 2 M.

Tanov says the operation prevented significant losses for the State treasury, pointing out 70 times more contraband cigarettes have been caught in 20101, compared to 2009.

"It is important that now these contraband cigarettes will be replaced on the local market by those whose excise duty has been paid, preventing huge losses and damage," the Customs Head pointed out.

The PM praised the work of the Customs Agency, explaining Tanov and Maya Kolarova, Head of the Varna Customs, will probe why the Customs agent in charge and other employees on duty failed to inform on time about the contraband shipment, while those responsible will face sanctions, including legal ones.

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