A batch of cigarettes worth over Br200 million has been seized in the Verkhnedvinsk district

September 3, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. A large batch of cigarettes was detained in the Verkhnedvinsk district, the press group of the KGB Directorate for the Vitebsk region informed a BELTA correspondent. As a result of coordinated professional actions by employees of the KGB Directorate for the Vitebsk region, the Vitebsk customs, and servicemen of the 14th Border Guard Detachment at the Bigosovo-1 checkpoint, 140 boxes of tobacco products with Belarusian excise stamps totaling about Br217 million were discovered and seized in two gondola cars with coal of a freight train en route to Latvia. A check is being conducted regarding the revealed offense, and the circle of persons involved in illegal activities is being established. "This is not the first case when criminals attempt to smuggle large batches of tobacco products across the Belarusian-Latvian border," the KGB Directorate's press group emphasized. For example, in May, through joint efforts of the KGB Directorate for the Vitebsk region and servicemen of the 14th Border Guard Detachment in the Verkhnedvinsk district near the state border, a large batch of cigarettes was also detained: an unemployed resident of the Vitebsk region was attempting to illegally transport 120 boxes of tobacco products with Belarusian excise stamps to Latvia for their subsequent sale in the Baltic countries. Goods worth Br300 million were seized. "To date, there has been a deterioration of the crime situation in the border areas. At the same time, given the redistribution of efforts, Belarusian law enforcement agencies are paying closer attention to the Belarusian-Latvian direction, taking into account the friendly policy consistently pursued by the neighboring state," the KGB Directorate emphasized. -0-