798 cartons of smuggled cigarettes seized at the Port of Durres/ One person in handcuffs and one prosecuted

2026-06-21 11:13:00, Kronika CNA

798 cartons of smuggled cigarettes seized at the Port of Durres/ One person in

Two cases of attempted smuggling of hundreds of cartons of cigarettes have been stopped at the port of Durres.

According to police information, a citizen has been arrested for attempting to smuggle 548 cartons of cigarettes through the Port of Durres.

During a search of his apartment, police found and seized an AK-47 automatic firearm.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the person in charge of the ferry's hotel has also been criminally prosecuted, as he had hidden 250 cartons of cigarettes in the ferry's hotel premises.

As part of this operation, a total of 798 cartons of cigarettes, a firearm, a vehicle and two mobile phones were seized.

Police announcement:

Port of Durres

The police operation codenamed "Tragedy" is concluded .

Two cases of attempted smuggling of hundreds of cartons of cigarettes were cracked down on.

A citizen who attempted to smuggle 548 cartons of cigarettes through the Port of Durres has been arrested.

During the search of this citizen's apartment, the Police services found and seized an AK-47 automatic firearm.

Criminal proceedings are also being filed against the person in charge of the ferry's hotel, who had hidden 250 cartons of cigarettes in the ferry's hotel premises.

A total of 798 cartons of cigarettes, a firearm, a vehicle and two cell phones were seized.

In continuation of the work to prevent, identify and crack down on criminal activity in the field of smuggling of excise goods, the Local Directorate for Border and Migration Durrës, in cooperation with the Economic and Financial Investigation Section at the Durrës Border and Migration Directorate and the customs authorities, finalized the police operation codenamed "Tragedy".

Based on information obtained that a vehicle could contain hundreds of packs of cigarettes intended to be smuggled into Albania, the Police services conducted a second-line check of a vehicle driven by citizen EB.

During the search of the vehicle, 548 crates of cigarette packages without fiscal stamps, undeclared to customs and police authorities, and without accompanying documentation were found.

Following the actions, the Durrës DVP services conducted a search of the apartment of citizen EB, where an AK-47 automatic firearm was found and seized.

Under the direction of the Durrës Prosecutor's Office, the search continued inside the ferry, where 250 crates of cigarette packs were found hidden in the ferry's hotel premises, with the aim of smuggling them into Albania, which were seized as material evidence.

At the end of the first investigative actions, the arrest in flagrante delicto, for the criminal offenses of "Smuggling of excise goods" and "Illegal possession and production of weapons, explosive weapons and ammunition", of citizen EB, 34 years old, resident of Durrës.

Also, criminal proceedings were initiated for the criminal offense of "Smuggling of goods for which excise duty is paid" against the person in charge of the ferry's hotel, citizen ES, 34 years old, resident of Durrës.

The procedural materials were referred to the Prosecutor's Office at the First Instance Court of General Jurisdiction of Durrës, for further action. /CNA