Following the success of the joint operation against smuggling of excisable goods in December last year, another operation of the same kind took place in the first month of this year - during the week between 16th and 22nd of January 2006. The operation was held by the Ministry of Finance (Bulgarian Customs Agency and the National Revenue Agency) in cooperation with the National Service for Combating Organised Crime. The Crown Agents assisted with planning and implementation of the exercise.

The main aim of the operation was to reduce the smuggling of excisable goods - mainly cigarettes and alcohol - from the duty-free shops at the border checkpoints by: examinations of people crossing the border, aimed at identification, control and confiscation of illegally imported cigarettes; and constant invigilation of the duty-free shops. For that purpose the Mobile Assurance Teams of the BCA and teams of the National Revenue Agency made round-the-clock examinations and invigilated the border crossings, where the operation took place: Kapitan Andreevo, Kulata and Kalotina.

A total of 420 120 pieces of cigarettes were confiscated for that one-week period, and thus losses of 46 213 BGN to the state budget were prevented due only to this operation.

A total of 2550 challenges of people passing through the border crossings were made. 565 of the challenges, or 22.16%, were successful e.g. violations were detected. Compared to the previous exercise in December 2005, the collected data shows that the attempts for smuggling of excisable goods are decreasing – in December 2005 violations were detected in 30.44% of the examinations, while in January 2006 the smuggling attempts were 22.16%.

Data for the turnover of the duty-free shops during the operation was collected. These figures were compared to their average turnovers for a period of one month prior to the beginning of the operation. It was determined that while being invigilated the average turnover of the duty-free shops decreased by 15.5%. Compared to the previous exercise in December 2005, the collected data shows that this time the decrease of the average turnover of the duty-free shops while being invigilated was less significant.

Press Centre
Ministry of Finance
Bulgaria