VIDEO: 303,460 boxes of various types of cigarettes hidden in grape boxes

The review of the goods revealed that some of them bore labels resembling excise stamps, which do not correspond to the excise stamps provided by the State Revenue Committee (SRC).

The SRC has prevented the illegal export of a batch of cigarettes through the Bagratashen customs checkpoint from the Russian Federation. This information was reported by the press service of the SRC, noting that 303,460 boxes of various types of cigarettes were hidden in grape boxes.

During the visual inspection and X-ray examination, no issues were found in the grape boxes; the cigarettes were discovered during deep inspection.

“It turned out that the majority of the boxes used to transport the goods were specially adapted, having two floors, which is a method to complicate the discovery of the goods or give them a different appearance,” the statement said.

From the product review, it was determined that some of the items bore labels resembling excise stamps that did not match those issued by the SRC, while the rest did not have excise stamps at all.

The act contains the elements of Article 313 of the Law on Customs Regulation of the Republic of Armenia. This article defines the transportation of goods under customs control across the state border of Armenia while hiding them from customs control by using chambers, other methods that complicate the discovery of goods, or giving the goods a different appearance.

Materials related to the incident have been sent to the SRC's investigation and operational intelligence department to ensure further proceedings.