Contraband cigarettes found on bus bound for Italy

Twelve passengers heading for Italy to find jobs were not allowed out of the country after a check at the customs revealed contraband cigarettes on the bus, the Customs Service reported. Crossing the checkpoint Leuseni-Albita, the bus' driver and his three assistants stated they didn't have anything to declare, but because the bus had been involved in a cigarette smuggling case last year, the customs officers decided to x-ray and manually inspect the vehicle. The inspection revealed that the bus' roof had internal partitions which concealed 2,000 cigarette packs valued at 7,000 euros. The drivers were fined, and the vehicle and cigarettes were confiscated.