Police seize 3,750 cigarette packs hidden in a sewer in Pas de la Casa

The Andorran Police, working alongside officers from the Customs Service, have seized 3,750 packs of smuggled tobacco that had been hidden in a sewer in Pas de la Casa.

The tobacco was distributed across seven bundles and had an estimated value of almost €14,700, according to information released by the Police. 

The alleged smugglers had reportedly been accumulating the packs and hiding them inside the sewer with the intention of collecting them later and taking them out of the country.

The seizure took place during a joint surveillance operation carried out by Police and Customs officers in Pas de la Casa, one of Andorra’s main border-control areas. The operation allowed the authorities to locate the hiding place and prevent the tobacco from being transported across the border.

The Police have not provided details about any arrests linked to the seizure or confirmed the identity of the people allegedly involved in the attempted smuggling operation.

The incident forms part of the surveillance and control measures that both services have strengthened to combat tobacco smuggling, particularly in border areas and around Pas de la Casa. 

Smugglers often use sewers, paths and other difficult-to-access areas to temporarily hide bundles before moving them across the border.

Over the past year, the Andorran Government has intensified its fight against smuggling by creating a specialised body and increasing coordination with the French authorities. The aim is to reinforce security and respond to the growing sense of insecurity in Pas de la Casa, where alleged smugglers have reportedly been seen carrying machetes.

During the launch of the emergency action plan, some of the routes used by officers were also allegedly sabotaged in an attempt to hinder their movements. France has strengthened surveillance in the area as well. Smuggling is also having a significant economic and fiscal impact, estimated at around €4,300 a year.

The tobacco has been seized and placed at the disposal of the competent authorities as the corresponding proceedings continue.