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Austrian authorities bust illegal cigarette manufacturing operation

Xinhua, September 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

Austrian customs authorities have struck a blow against an illegal cigarette manufacturing operation with multiple arrests and seizures of illegal products.

The Ministry of Finance stated in a press release on Wednesday that a raid action was taken at a cellar of a trucking company in Wiener Neustadt, just south of Vienna, on Wednesday of last week.

The authorities seized cigarettes of various brands equal to about 70,000 cartons, and made eight arrests.

The raid was part of a coordinated effort against the international ring, with the authorities in both Hungary and Slovakia also making a number of arrests, leading to a total 15 persons in custody, including the alleged ringleader in Hungary.

The authorities in Budapest also seized a production line while in Slovakia, a printing machine for the production of packaging and tax stamps was seized, the ministry stated. Endit