Prishtina, 25th of April 2024

The TASK-FORC East unit (consisted of Kosovo Police and Customs), continues the activities to prevent and fight smuggling and carry out tasks on the field in the border area between the Republic of Kosovo and North Macedonia.

On 24.04.2024, in the region of Vitia, a vehicle with local license plates, driven by the suspect S.Z., age 47 from Vitia, was stopped by the aforementioned units. During the search of the vehicle, it was found that it was loaded with 50 packs (500 packs) of ready-to-market FAST cigarettes and about 300 kg of ground tobacco, which is suspected to have been smuggled from North Macedonia through the mountain routes in the village of Lubishte, Vitia.

During the search, 200 kg of processed Marlboro tobacco were also seized at the suspect’s house.

In total, 500 kg of tobacco with a value of over €6,000 were seized, while the customs evasion amounts to over €20,000.

Regarding the case, all actions were undertaken in cooperation with the Office of the State Prosecutor, where by order of the prosecutor, the suspect is sent to the detention center for 48 hours, while the smuggled goods and the vehicle are seized and sent to the customs terminal-Dheu i Bardhë.