Officers from the National Expertise and Operations Unit observed a car driving on the A12 near Bunnik around 6:45 PM. The car exhibited suspicious driving behavior and took the exit at Bunnik. The officers decided to follow the car. The vehicle stopped in an industrial area, and the police saw that the driver was meeting another man. A heavy garbage bag was handed over and placed in the trunk. The police decided to check the car and the men. Upon opening the trunk, the officers smelled a sweet odor; the garbage bag contained about 10 kilos of tobacco. The other mans car was also checked, in which over 150 kilos of tobacco were found. After consulting with Customs, both men from Geldermalsen (33 years old) and Kampen (39 years old) were arrested for violating the Excise Duty Act.
The information from the suspects prompted Customs to search a warehouse nearby that same evening. There, over 700 kilos of tobacco were stored for which no excise duty had been paid. The excise fraud amounts to €250,000 and will be charged to the suspects. The suspects remain in custody for questioning.
Illegal Trade in Tobacco Products
Evading excise duties and sales tax is a crime. The trade in illegal tobacco harms legal sellers, and criminals make a lot of money from the illegal production and trade of tobacco products. These products are regularly transported on the road and found during police checks. The FIOD, Customs, and police work together to combat the illegal trade in tobacco products.