Four Romanian smugglers apprehended, gunfire being used and 25,000 packages of cigarettes detected at the Romanian-Ukrainian border

Four Romanian smugglers apprehended, gunfire being used and 25,000 packages of cigarettes detected at the Romanian-Ukrainian border

Romanian Border Police officers within Suceava Border Police County Inspectorate detected and apprehended four Romanian citizens who were transporting over the state border 19,500 packages of smuggled cigarettes. In a different case, Border Police officers and Custom’s officers within Siret Border Crossing Point detected 5,250 packages of cigarettes hidden in special new developed places in the floor of a minibus, property of an Ukrainian citizen.
The cigarettes, valuing over 181,000 LEI, were seized and the Romanian citizens are being investigated in terms of committing several crimes: smuggling and complicity to smuggling.

• Thus, on 09.09.2011, in the morning, while carrying out specific tasks, Border Police officers within Brodina Border Police Sector detected near the border a group of people walking from Ukraine towards Romania, transporting several big boxes.
  The aforementioned people were verbally asked to stop by Border Police officers, but they have ignored the warning and tried to run taking advantage of the woods. Border Police officers had to use the weapons and ammunition, gunfire being vertically used, being able to apprehend four Romanian citizens with ages from 15 to 47 years old.
  In the area where the four Romanians were apprehended, 39 big boxes containing 19,500 packages of Ukrainian and Republic of Moldova made cigarettes were detected.
  Prior acts of criminal investigation in terms of the offense of smuggling and complicity to smuggling were drawn by Border Police officers within Suceava Border Police County Inspectorate.
  At the moment, Border Police officers are investigating the case in order to detect all the people involved for taking the legal imposed measures.
  Also, Ukrainian border authorities were updated, informed for a joint investigation of the case.
  
• On 09.09.2011, 12.30 p.m., within Siret Border Crossing Point, a Ukrainian citizen, V. Georgii, 22 years old, came in order to enter the country, in a Mercedes Benz minibus.
  After passport control, Border Police officers and Custom officers thoroughly checked the vehicle, detecting, hidden and undeclared in the floor of the vehicle, 5,250 cigarettes, Viceroy Brand.
  The cigarettes, valuing 6,405 LEI were seized by the Custom officers and the aforementioned person was fined for 10,000 LEI.
  The Mercedes Benz minibus, valuing 34,080 LEI was seized also.