Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Jail for not burning cigarettes

A company in Chelm, eastern Poland, has been found guilty of hiding cigarettes it was supposed to be getting rid of.

The Chelm police raided the company on Wednesday and found almost 50,000 packets of contraband cigarettes that the company received from customs to burn. According to the company's documents, the cigarettes did not exist any more.

The police entered the company's premises immediately after a new batch of contraband cigarettes were brought in for burning by customs officers. They found a 6-metre deep hiding place containing the officially destroyed cigarettes. Three such hiding places were found at the company's premises. Each had a fake bottom, even covered with fake trash, and had enough space for a whole truckload of cigarettes.

The 45-year-old co-owner of the company was detained. He faces even up to three years in prison. The police are now questioning his employees and are trying to established where the illegal merchandise went to.
Link