Naples – The finance officers of the Provincial Command of the Guardia di Finanza of Naples have carried out an important operation against customs smuggling, arresting a 51-year-old Italian citizen and seizing 1.200 kilos of cigarettes of foreign origin along with a van used for the illicit transport.
The intervention was triggered as part of an economic control service of the territory conducted by the "Baschi Verdi" of the Pronto Impiego Group of Naples in the industrial area of the Campania capital. During a patrol, the agents stopped a suspicious van, whose bulky load immediately attracted attention.
The inspection of the vehicle revealed 400 kilos of cigarettes, hidden in dozens of boxes, ready to be distributed illegally.
The load of cigarettes was in a warehouse
The investigation did not stop there: a subsequent search of a warehouse led to the discovery of a further 800 kilos of foreign manufactured tobacco, bringing the total seizure to 1,2 tons. A significant blow to the black market of the so-called "blondes".
The driver of the van, caught red-handed, was arrested on charges of possession of tobacco processed under customs contraband. Tried with the summary procedure, the Court of Naples sentenced him to 2 years of imprisonment, with a suspended sentence, and the obligation to sign. The cigarettes and the vehicle used for transport were confiscated by the authorities.
The operation confirms the Guardia di Finanza's commitment to combating illicit tobacco trafficking, a phenomenon that continues to represent a challenge for law enforcement and a loss for the public treasury.
Article published on March 14, 2025 - 07pm
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The operation against cigarette smuggling was important but I don't understand how it could get to this point. Illicit trafficking is always a big problem and we need to do more to stop it, we need more control.