French police find nearly 2,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes with possible link to Andorra
Officers discovered 172 cartons of cigarettes at a home in Toulouse while investigating the theft of a bicycle
French police have discovered 172 cartons of cigarettes, nearly 2,000 packs of tobacco, during a search of a property in the Saint-Cyprien district of Toulouse, in an operation that initially had nothing to do with tobacco smuggling.
According to Le Monde du Tabac, the discovery was made accidentally on August 7, while officers were investigating the theft of a bicycle.
The stolen bicycle had been geolocated on the left bank of Toulouse, allowing investigators to trace it to a property in the Saint-Cyprien district.
Officers from the Anti-Crime Brigade (BAC) went to the property and found a bicycle matching the characteristics of the one reported stolen. Investigators then proceeded to search the residence.
Unexpected discovery during the search
The property was occupied by a couple, a 43-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman. During the search, officers discovered a significant quantity of cigarettes.
A total of 172 cartons of cigarettes were found, raising suspicions that the tobacco could have been intended for illegal resale.
According to French reports, the cigarettes do not appear to be counterfeit. Instead, they are believed to be genuine tobacco products that may have been traded illegally.
Investigators must now determine where the cigarettes were intended to go and whether the occupants of the property had any involvement in a potential distribution network.
Investigators look towards Andorra
One of the most significant aspects of the investigation is the possible Andorran origin of the tobacco.
French police reportedly suspect that the cigarettes may have arrived from Andorra before being transported to Toulouse. However, this theory has not yet been confirmed, and investigators are working to reconstruct the route taken by the tobacco and establish how it ended up at the Saint-Cyprien property.
The quantity of cigarettes found has also attracted attention because of the profile of the occupants. Police sources cited by French media reportedly described the couple as having an apparently ordinary profile, with no obvious characteristics that would initially suggest involvement in tobacco smuggling.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities seek to establish the exact origin of the cigarettes, their possible connection to Andorra, and whether the storage of nearly 2,000 packs of tobacco was part of an illegal resale or distribution operation.