Tobacco produced hidden in the district of Castelo Branco – Public.en

The Tax and Customs Authority has announced the seizure of 48 tonnes of tobacco leaves in the district of Castelo Branco, and the arrest of a man of 62 years, who after hearing by a judge was arrested pre-emptively.

"The defendant made use of agricultural facilities, with the support of employees, store, transform, package and distribute leaf tobacco to the various dealers located in the national territory and Spanish, as well as directly to the public", informs the office of the minister. "This whole business was thinly disguised in activities that are declared in the production of other agricultural products, while the processing operations, processing, packaging and marketing of leaf tobacco completely hidden from the tax administration". The suspect risks now to answer in court for the crimes of introduction fraudulent in consumption and tax fraud qualified. The searches undertaken by the authorities in the district of Castelo Branco took place last week, but were only disclosed on Wednesday.

The introduction of this product in the market of the tobacco seized could result in a leak to the VAT and the Special Consumption Tax of almost ten million euros, account for Finances, which join the other 30 million calculated in the framework of the seizure, a year ago, other 182 tonnes of tobacco leaf. Either this operation or to January of last year are part of the same investigation, which is the responsibility of the Central Department of Investigation and Penal Action.

Also in the last week have been seized by customs at Lisbon airport 268.820 cigarettes of various brands. Were in the hold baggage, and were transported by passenger nationality armenia, on a flight from Moscow.

"This operation involves a debt potential 45,369 million euros, the title of customs duties, VAT and tax on tobacco products", refers to a briefing note from the office of the minister of Finance, who explains that they were detained five people, and identified two other individuals who were waiting at the airport.

"All stakeholders were made defendants, and subject to the coercive measure of the term of identity and residence," says the same press release, that despite having been released just this Wednesday refers to the facts already on the 6th of January.