More than 1,300 packs of illegal tobacco seized at Barcelona-Nord station

Policía Nacional has thwarted a major smuggling attempt at the Barcelona-Nord bus station, where a traveller arriving from Cairo and bound for Lyon was caught with 1,324 packs of illegal tobacco. The goods were distributed between two suitcases and a backpack, without any tax stamp to prove their legal origin.

The operation took place during a routine inspection at transport stations. Officers identified the passenger when he was about to board a bus to France. On checking his documents, they noted that he held a Schengen visa issued by the German embassy in Cairo, a common pattern among other smugglers recently intercepted at the same terminal.

After inspecting his luggage, officers found the concealed tobacco and, as he could not justify its legal origin, the traveller was sanctioned for smuggling. The goods were seized by Agencia Tributaria.

According to the police, each pack costs between 3 and 5 euros in Spain, but can reach up to 12 euros after crossing the border, making smuggling a highly profitable business. In Barcelona’s transport stations alone, more than 9,000 packs have been seized this year.