Armenian authorities foil attempt to smuggle 22,000 boxes of heated tobacco

Officers of Armenia's State Revenue Committee (SRC) and National Security Service (NSS) have thwarted an attempt to illegally export a large consignment of heated tobacco products from the country.

In a statement on Thursday, the SRC said a truck designed for transporting livestock entered Armenia’s Bagratashen border checkpoint earlier this week. Acting on intelligence, authorities placed the vehicle under surveillance and directed it to an X-ray scanning station.

The scan revealed irregularities in the interior walls of the truck’s lift compartment. During a subsequent detailed inspection, customs officers used an endoscopic camera to detect foreign objects concealed within its structural cavities. After cutting open the hidden compartments, officials uncovered approximately 22,300 boxes of heated tobacco products.

Officials said the tobacco had been packed in a way that allowed it to be quickly removed using pre-placed tape.

A protocol on customs rules violations has been drawn up under Article 313 of Armenia’s law on customs regulation. The investigation is underway.