the suitcases of these travelers arriving from Italy hid suspicious merchandise

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There was probably enough smoking there for ten years! The customs officers of the Beauvais airport brigade still had flair in the Oise.

On the evening of Sunday, December 15, they countered plans to illicitly import an astronomical quantity of cigarettes, intercepting 885 cartridgesdistributed in 17 suitcases. Most astonishing of all, these 17 suitcases belonged to the same group of 5 people traveling together from Rome, Italy.

The targeting of customs officers, like their stubbornness in carrying out the checks, allowed them to foil the plans of the fraudsters, who clearly intended to supply the parallel market with contraband American Legend brand cigarettes.

A 54-year-old Egyptian sentenced to 6 months in prison

The main fraudster of the group, a 54-year-old Egyptian, came with his two sons to France, one of whom is a minor. He was carrying 4,000 packs of American Legend alone. The man, unfavorably known to the police, gave a vague explanation to the investigators, since he claimed to work as an “import-export entrepreneur”.

Judged Tuesday December 17 by the Beauvais criminal court, before whom he appeared on prior admission of guilt, he received 5000 euros customs fine. His explanations must not have convinced the judge, since a 6-month suspended prison sentence as well as a ban from French territory for a period of three years were also pronounced against him.

Since the start of the year, the Beauvais customs brigade has already seized 1,3 tonne of various tobacco products during its controls.

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