State Revenue Committee thwarts smuggling attempt of over 68,000 cigarette boxes from Iran

YEREVAN, October 25. /ARKA/. The State Revenue Committee has thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large shipment of cigarettes from Iran into Armenia, according to the agency's press service.

The committee received operational information from the National Security Service indicating that a significant quantity of tobacco products might be concealed in a truck transporting cargo from Iran.

Upon inspecting a truck that arrived from Iran, driven by an Armenian citizen, officials discovered 68,500 boxes of cigarettes lacking excise markings hidden beneath bags of cement.

Preliminary calculations indicate that approximately 22.5 million drams in excise taxes were evaded and not paid into the state budget.

The cigarette boxes and the truck have been seized and are currently stored at the Agarak customs point. The truck driver has been arrested.

A suspect or accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court decision that has entered into legal force, as prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia. -0-