Customs authorities in Göttingen confiscated more than 13,000 cigarettes and 5 kilograms of amphetamines during a single night, according to the HZA-BS control unit.
In a series of two significant seizures made on October 17th and 18th, 2024, the Main Customs Office of Brunswick has taken action against a Romanian minibus driver.
During a routine check, the driver had initially claimed to have no prohibited or restricted goods. However, a local and time-limited inspection revealed a surprising discovery. Customs officers found 68 packs of cigarettes (13,480 pieces) hidden in the trunk of the minibus, far exceeding the 800 pieces that private individuals can bring duty-free from other EU member states, including Romania.
The driver, who had initially stated that he had four packs of cigarettes with him, was arrested on the spot for evading 2,591.70 euros in tobacco tax. All seized cigarettes were taken, and a security deposit of 500 euros was collected for the expected fine.
In a separate incident, customs officers also found a hidden bag containing five plastic bowls with crystalline contents suspected to be amphetamine. The gross weight of the substance was 5,494 grams, estimated to be five kilograms net of amphetamine. The driver was initiated in a criminal proceeding for violating the ban in connection with the Narcotics Act, and the five bowls were seized.
The Main Customs Office of Brunswick is responsible for the initial inspection and questioning of the driver, but the further handling of the criminal proceeding is the responsibility of the Customs Investigation Office of Frankfurt am Main. The criminal proceeding will be handled by the Criminal and Fine Office of the Main Customs Office of Erfurt.
It is important to note that there are no publicly available search results specifying which person was charged at the Hauptzollamt Braunschweig on October 18, 2024, or which drug was discovered by this authority on that date. The value or street price of the seized amphetamine is not provided in the article.
Customs officers are allowed to conduct checks outside the border area if there is reason to believe that goods subject to customs surveillance are being carried. This power was exercised in these cases, leading to the significant seizures and the subsequent criminal proceedings. The Main Customs Office of Brunswick, as always, remains committed to protecting the country's borders and ensuring compliance with customs regulations.
