Boban Nikolovski: Probe into cigarette smuggling will widen, €1.3M seized
Customs director says 18 suspects are charged and body-worn cameras at three crossings will be analysed after three months.
The investigation into the police operation codenamed “Filter”, in which about 69 million cigarettes were allegedly introduced into circulation and which authorities say caused more than €6 million in damage to the state budget, will be broadened, Customs Directorate chief Boban Nikolovski said.
Nikolovski told Alsat that, in addition to the 18 suspects already identified, there may be other people involved. He said the 18 suspects are employees who worked at border crossings in various positions and face multiple criminal charges.
Charges, cameras and seizures
“They have multiple criminal charges for which they are accused. Forgery of declarations, electronic crime, smuggling. All these actions, according to the provisions of the Criminal Code, are connected to the criminal offence of smuggling and the avoidance of excise duties according to the Law on Excises,” Nikolovski said, describing the range of accusations tied to the case.
Nikolovski said the Customs Directorate expects better results in fighting irregularities and corruption with the introduction of body-worn cameras.
“We believe we will achieve better results because the body cameras are already operating. Our border colleagues are already using them at three border crossings and we expect that after three months we will conduct the first analyses, and after three months we will carry out an effective analysis that will show whether the cameras are being used correctly and whether we obtain better results from their use. I am convinced they will help us a lot because we will be able to monitor all processes that take place at the border crossings,” said Boban Nikolovski, Director of the Customs Directorate of North Macedonia.
Nikolovski specified that the cameras are already in use at the Kafe Tana, Tabanovce and Blace border crossings. He also announced that customs officers have seized approximately €1,300,000 in undeclared cash that entered the country through border posts and was identified by customs staff.
Photo: press material from the event
