- The modified doors were seized along with the rest of the cargo from a van that had just disembarked at the Port of Alicante.
- So far this year, Guardia Civil officers have intercepted 15,307 packs of smuggled tobacco at the Port of Alicante.
July 9, 2025 – The Guardia Civil has uncovered more than 2,200 packs of smuggled tobacco hidden inside two reinforced metal doors that had been tampered with to create hollow compartments. The suspect was transporting the concealed tobacco among undeclared cargo in a van that had arrived by boat from Algeria.
Officers from the Guardia Civil’s Customs and Border Unit, stationed at the Port of Alicante, routinely inspect vehicle cargo arriving by sea to ensure compliance with EU regulations, protect the economic interests of the Union and member states, and safeguard public safety.
During one such inspection at the customs terminal, a van carrying a mix of undeclared items—such as furniture and food products—was flagged. The officers instructed the driver to initiate the required customs process under EU Regulation 925/2013 and temporarily impounded the cargo.
During a thorough search conducted by the Fiscal and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit, officers discovered two metal doors that had been modified to conceal tobacco inside. In total, 2,249 undeclared packs of tobacco were found, which the driver was attempting to smuggle into Spain.
The suspect, a 34-year-old man, is now facing administrative proceedings for violating EU Regulation 925/2013. Penalties for this infraction could range from 200% to 600% of the value of the smuggled tobacco.
To date in 2025, Guardia Civil officers at the Port of Alicante have intercepted over 15,000 packs of illegal tobacco—primarily arriving from Algeria—hidden in various ways within vehicle cargo. The estimated market value of the seized tobacco is nearly €100,000.
