Customs seize 168.7 kg of cut tobacco in Bitola and Prilep
Customs seized 168.7 kg of cut tobacco and say six people sold tobacco without excise stamps; excise evasion totaled 463,787 denars.
On 11 November 2026 customs officers from the Bitola customs office together with mobile teams of the Department for Operational Work carried out an operation at the green market and the town square in Prilep to inspect excise goods. During the action authorities seized a total of 168.7 kilograms of cut tobacco, goods for which payment of excise in the amount of 463,787 denars was avoided.
Police assistance was called in during the operation. Customs officials say six individuals were caught selling tobacco without excise stamps, an act that flagrantly breached the law, harmed the state budget and put citizens' health at risk.
Legal steps and follow-up controls
Procedures have been initiated against the six suspects before the competent court and the Commission for Offences. The Customs Administration described the case as the second such intervention within a short period.
Earlier, during a market inspection in Čair, authorities seized 135 kilograms of cut tobacco. The two actions form part of intensified controls inside the country and stepped-up investigations into the import of tobacco and tobacco products.
The Customs Administration said it will continue strengthened efforts to combat illegal trade in tobacco and tobacco products through increased inspections across the interior and more rigorous inquiries into imports.
Photo: press material from the event
