1.2 million counterfeit cigarettes seized near the German border

Police have seized 1.2 million counterfeit cigarettes in a van in the north of the country near the German border.

One person was arrested and the illegal haul was handed over to customs officials for investigation. A cross-border police team discovered the cigarettes during a check on vehicles using the A7 near Bad Nieuweschans.

The mixed patrols feature one German and one Dutch colleague working together in the border region who are authorised to operate in both countries. “This cross-border cooperation allows criminal offences on both sides of the border to be effectively tackled,” Dutch border police said.

So far this year, 106 million illegal cigarettes have been seized by officials, compared with 217 million last year as a whole.

Customs officials announced earlier this month they would crack down on cigarette smuggling. Illegal cigarettes are popular in the Netherlands, where the legal price of tobacco is sky-high.

A packet of 20 cigarettes currently costs over €11 in the Netherlands, and research suggests that an increasing number of smokers are turning to the black market or buying their tobacco products in other countries.