In Operation "FLASHBACK", GNR officers and inspectors from the Tax and Customs Authority carried out 18 searches, 10 of which were at homes and eight at warehouses, garages, vehicles and food and beverage establishments in the districts of Lisbon and Setúbal, with the aim of putting an end to a supply chain of contraband tobacco from Angola, which was intended to be illegally introduced for consumption in Portugal.
During the searches, 28,700 manufactured cigarettes, 96 cards and bank documents, 21,450 euros in cash and various computer equipment were seized.
As part of the investigation, which has been ongoing for over a year, more than 133,000 cigarettes of various brands had already been seized in Portugal.
The GNR stated in a statement this Tuesday that, if the cigarettes had been released for consumption, they would have represented a loss of thousands of euros for the Portuguese State, as a result of the non-payment of the respective customs duties, Tobacco Tax and Value Added Tax (VAT).
"These illicit introductions also violate the reporting formalities and the rules regarding sealing and stamping provided for in the legal regime of Special Consumption Taxes (IEC), in addition to the current rules on public health", stated the guard.
The operation was carried out by the Tax Action Unit (UAF), through the Tax Action Detachment of Lisbon, and the Tax and Customs Authority (AT), through the Southern Operational Division of the Customs Anti-Fraud Services Directorate.
The operation involved 48 UAF soldiers, a canine team from the Canine Intervention Group (GIC) of the Intervention Unit (UI), eight inspectors from AT-DSAFA and the support of the Public Security Police (PSP).
